The Ruranain Chronicles: The Sage and The Juubi
by The Sand Alchemist
Summary: She was different. She kept smiling even though it hurt. Even though she wanted to cry she never did...after all...why cry when no one would comfort you?
1. The Beginning

The Beginning

Centuries ago there was a great beast. The Jubi, the ten tailed demon. It was said that a mere swipe of one tail could take out a whole village. One woman rose to defeat him. The sage of the six paths. With her legendary Rinnengan, she sealed the beast within herself thus creating the first Junchuricki. A mere human that would contain the power of a demon.

Upon her death bed she divided the Jubi into the nine separate demons, Ichibi no Shukaku, the raccoon. Nibi no Nekomata, the two tailed cat. Sanbi no Kyodaigame, the three tailed turtle. Yonbi no Saru, the four tailed monkey. Gobi no Irukauma, the five tailed dolphin hoarse. Rokubi no Namekuji, the six tailed slug. Nanabi no Kabutomushi, the seven tailed beetle. Hachibi no Kyogyu, the eight tailed ox, and the Kyuubi no Yoko the nine tailed fox.

Each had a different amount of tails. In order from Ichibi to Kyuubi it was one through nine. Along with the sepreation of the ten tailed the Rikudo sage also created the moon spirit out of her soul in order to watch over the ninja world. The container of her soul would be called the Ruler of Nine. Upon dying the "Ruler's" soul would search until it found a new host in the form of a new born. Each of these hosts grew up alone, even the Ruanain, labeled as a Demon for the power they held. Many died in battle, others died peacefully. Some had tales spanning nations about they're bravery.

This is the story of the host of the Rikudo sage's soul, This is the story of Haruka Akina, and her journey through life labeled as a Jinchuirki. Her tale of finally finding love, and her journey to save the world from the Jubi and stop the Akatsuki.

This is…The Ruranain Chronicles.


	2. Different

Chapter 1

Haruka Akina…where to begin about her. Well you could say that she is smart. You could say she's shy around others but a loud mouth knucklehead around her friends. You could say a lot of things. Akina is…different than most academy students her age. She talks to her classmates, yes but most of the time when they run off she won't follow. She'll just sit there and wait with a hopeful look on her face that one will come back but in the end she ends up swinging alone. Or walking around alone. Or playing ball alone. You could say it's a bipolar attitude.

During class her hand shoots up constantly even when she doesn't know the answer. The teachers have to tell her to let others go. Sure the others thought it was funny…until they got older. Girls went chasing after boys and the boys…were boys. Eventually even her guy friends would go about there own way leaving her behind. She never really had anyone.

Her parents died when she was very young so she lived on her own. She was desperate for attention but didn't like getting in trouble. Students that saw her excel in class befriended her and used her to get them to get their grades up. It was a pitiful way to make friends. In the end Akina was the one to suffer. Anyone would have been sad and distrustful by the tenth time it happened but like I said. She was different. She kept smiling even though it hurt. Even though she wanted to cry she never did.

She rough housed with the boys until she couldn't get up and then they left her there. All alone again. When she was sure no one was around she went over to the tree where the lone swing was and sat there waiting for them and silently crying. The saddest part was when she would get up when she cried and punched trees until her hands bled and she stopped. The next day she would act like nothing happened. What a pitiful child. Years went by and she graduated finally. She passed the test with flying colors.

3 years later.

"GAARA!" Akina yelled running down the street towards a boy in a blue and white cloak. The boy looked mildly alarmed then rolled his eyes when he saw her. She skidded to a halt in front of him. Looks like his break ended. "Spar with me!" She yelled pulling out a kunai.

"I'm working." He said simply. She pouted then got a brilliant, and by brilliant I mean idiotic, plan.

"I won't take no for an answer."

"No." He said knowing she wouldn't leave him alone.

"Fine." She said. Gaara's eyes widened a bit. He disappeared in a whirl of sand fearing she did something to his office. He walked in expecting no office at all but everything was in tact. He walked slowly expecting a bomb but then remembered it wasn't Thursday so she wouldn't try to kill him. He sat down in his chair expecting something to happen. Kankuro walked in to see his brother using his sand to poke at his ever growing paper stack.

"Akina?"

"Yes." Gaara said letting out an exasperated sigh. Gaara decided it was safe to sit so he did and cleared his throat. Kankuro chuckled.

"Never knew she could make you this paranoid sometimes." Kankuro said watching his brother check under his desk for hidden explosives. "Then again she did turn your hair pink…so I can see why…pink hair on the day you met with the other Kages. I never saw Tsunade laugh so hard!" He laughed.

"Shut. Up. Kankuro." Gaara seethed popping out from behind the couch.

"No! No! I say continue!" A female voice said from the door.

"Hey the queen of pranks herself! Well more like king since you're a tomboy…" Kankuro added quietly.

"What was that?" She asked calmly. Kankuro gulped. She cracked her knuckles.

"N-Nothing."

"That's what I thought." She said grinning and patting the now bowing Kankuro on the head. Kankuro zipped out the room.

"Hi Gaachan!" She said loudly. Oh how he hated the nickname. He visibly twitched.

"Akina…what do you want from my life?" He asked. "No I will not spar."

"I wasn't asking that."

"Well what do you want?"

"Umm well…you see…the festival tonight and my date kind of…died on a mission as you remember so…"

"Akina the paperwork needs to be finished." He said. He didn't want to do it but he knew he had to.

"Oh…I see…well…I'm going to be out on my roof if you want to join me later…so…" Gaara sighed.

"Are you asking me out on a date?"

"No! Just for you to get out ya know?" Akina said gesturing to the paper stack that most likely weighed more than Chouji. "I'm surprised that you don't come out of here with papers in your boxers!" She exclaims. Then stopped. Gaara stared at her. She turned red.

"Not that I would know I mean…it's just a saying and…I'm gonna go now…" She said disappearing. Gaara stared at her as she leaved. He was too surprised to say anything really. He sighed and sat down to start on the stacks of papers.

5 long hours later.

Gaara put the final paper aside and looked at the clock. The fireworks started in a few minutes. 'Maybe I could…she said she'd be on the roof.' Gaara thought getting up and moving to his gourd.

Akina sat on the roof waiting for the fireworks. 'Maybe he'll come…' She thought. She frowned. 'Like he'll spend time with me…I'm annoying but I can't help it…' She put her head on her knees. Foot steps were heard behind her. She whirled around.

"Gaara?" She called out into the night. It was silence. She felt uncomfortable. A chill ran up her spine. Someone breathed on her neck. She froze.

"Haruka Akina…the future Rikudo sage…" The voice said from behind her. It was truly chilling. She found herself unable to move. "How about we get these fireworks started…hmm?" The voice said.

"Who are-"

"Katsu!" The roof exploded into smithereens. Gaara's head shot up when the explosion happened.

"The fireworks are too early…" He said to himself. He ran out the door with his gourd. He spotted it. 'That's Akina's roof!' Smoke piled on it. He could see nothing. He disappeared in a swirl of sand and reappeared on the roof. He sensed no chakras.

"Akina!" He yelled. He sent his sand out to search frantically. "Come on! Where are you?" He yelled frantically his heart beating fast. 'No…No…where are you.' He snapped his head around when he heard a muffled cry. He saw Akina being carried off by two people. 'Black cloaks…red clouds…' He raced after her. "Akatuski!" He yelled. No one heard him. The fireworks started.

"Gaa-mphm!" She yelled back but was muffled. She saw him going after her. 'Don't come after me…don't do it you idiot…' She thought. Tears began to come down her face.

"The Ichibi is following…Tobi…take care of him…hmm" One ordered. The one called Tobi dashed off towards Gaara. She saw them fight and Gaara being hit a few times.

'I can't do anything…' She said watching her best friend being attacked and frankly being beaten. She moved farther away. 'Gaara…please…don't…' There was an explosion. Her eyes widened. Gaara fell to the floor. Everything went slow. And then her world went black.


	3. Friends

Chapter 2

Friends.

"_Hey! Why are you here by yourself?" A little girl asked a boy about the same age as her. He was sitting on a small swing. He stared blankly at her._

"_Aren't you afraid?" He asked quietly. His voice was almost a whisper. _

"_Why would I be?" She asked back. He stared at her quizzically as she took the swing next to him. _

'_Why?' He thought. 'Why is she sitting next to me…if the others see her then…' He continued to stare at her. She grinned at him. "If people see you with me they won't like you." _

"_What makes you think that?" She asked, trying to play dumb. She knew about him and all the stories about him. Her parents were dead so there was no one to stop her from talking to him. She wanted to know him. _

"_Because I'm…" He trailed off. Akina sighed. _

"_Sabaku No Gaara. I know already. I know about you and the monster inside you." She said quietly. Gaara's eyes widened considerably. Now he thought she was just plain stupid. She laughed now. Was she mocking him? He thought. "So what? People who fear you are cowards who aren't meant to be shinobi in my opinion." _

"_But I could kill you…" He whispered. Akina kept smiling. _

"_You could…but you won't." She said. "I see the kindness in your eyes. I see everything in your eyes." She said pointing her finer towards his eyes. The sand swirled below them. It grabbed her ankle but she didn't move. He stared at her confused and then looked at the ground. _

"_What do you want?" He said a little louder. He expected her to say something insulting. Her expression saddened. _

"_There are a lot of things I want…but wanting only brings more pain…but right now I just don't want to be alone." She whispered looking at the ground and then at the other parents staring at her and turning back to their children. Gaara stared at her. _

"_What does that got to do with me?" He snapped. He was tired of her questions. She flinched. "No one cares about me! People never want to be my friends! They run in fear of me or try to kill me!" He said his voice getting louder. People stopped what they we're doing to watch what would happen. "I don't even know your name! You knew all about me and still came here! Are you that stupid?" He yelled this time. He saw the hurt in her eyes. He saw a tear well up in her eye and fall down her cheek. She wiped it with her hand quickly looking down. When she looked back up at him she was smiling again. _

"_Maybe I am stupid, maybe I trust people to easily…" She said looking into his eyes. His eyes held anger and frustration and…loneliness. "Or maybe I just found someone who's like me." Gaara's eyes softened as she walked away. She stopped. "By the way…I'm Haruka Akina." She said turning her head around and grinning. She continued walking until she was out of sight. _

'_Far off distance…a fitting sur name for someone like me…' Gaara thought as he turned to walk back home. It was the first day people saw a smile on his face. _

Gaara's eyes shot open. He flew up and looked around. He was in a hospital bed and Temari and Kankuro were instantly by his side.

"Gaara! What's wrong?" Temari asked quickly seeing his alarmed face. He looked at her.

"What happened?" He asked quickly. He remembered fighting someone who had taken Akina but after that he couldn't remember. Temari had a sad look on her face.

"Akina…" His eyes widened. The name sent bells ringing through his ears. She was taken. Temari informed him that they sent out a search team when a shinobi found him beaten on one of the roofs. She also informed him that's it's been a day and no word from the search party yet. Gaara stared down at the bed sheets clenching them in his fists. Temari handed him a headband. "It was found where she was taken and where you went down."

Her grinning face flashed through his mind. He threw the covers off of him and got up. Temari went to push him back down but Kankuro put a hand on her shoulder. She stopped. Gaara jumped out of the bed and moved to where his clother were.

Gaara grabbed his cloak and put it on along with his vest. "Request back up from Konoha…I'm going to rescue Akina."

"Gaara you can't just leave the village!" Temari reminded him.

"If it's an S rank mission then I can." Temari looked at him intensely waiting for him to continue. "Kankuro you're in charge of the office…Temari you're with me…" Kankuro gave a nod and Temari strapped on her fan. "Kankuro inform the council that we will be hunting down the Akatsuki and saving Akina."

"You got it bro…anyone special you want form Konoha?" Kankuro asked taking out a paper from a nearby table.

"Uzumaki Naruto, Hitsugaya Wakana, Haruno Sakura and Hatake Kakashi." He said.

"Right!" Kankuro said giving another nod and heading toward the door as Gaara headed towards the window with Temari. "Oh and Gaara…put some pants on…" He added seeing that his brother…being caught up in the order giving moment had forgotten to put pants on. Temari struggled to hold back a laugh however she failed miserably at it. Gaara looked down and turned red with embarrassment. He grabbed the pants that lie next to his hospital bed and put them on. Once having his pants securely on he went back to the window. He gripped the headband and tied it around his neck like how Akina would.

"Let's go Temari." Gaara said jumping out the window and running towards the village gates. Temari sighed going to catch up with him. Kankuro watched them leave and smiled to himself as he walked towards the tower.

"He's finally found his precious person…" He said quietly and entered the tower to face the elders on the council.

**Review! I had a lot of trouble with this chapter for some reason so I hope it was good! **


	4. Her Blood

**Hey guys! So i want to thank ALessandra for being a reviewer. Love ya girl see ya next week. Anyway on with disclaimer. *loud thunk is heard...turns to see Gaara with frying pan***

**Gaara: THat's what you get making me loose! Now say the disclaimer so i can save her! **

**Kitkat:...bossy little...I don't own Naruto...if i did...GAARA WOULDNT BE SO MEAN TO ME! **

**Gaara: Hn. **

Chapter 3

The rope was removed from her mouth. Akina coughed and then glared threatingly at the men who kidnapped her.

"You bastards!" She yelled. The blonde one grinned. This sent her blood boiling. "What did you do to Gaara?" She yelled again. The men grabbed her arms and threw her into a cell. "Let me go!" She yelled and bit down on one of their hands.

"Ouch!" The one with the mask let her go. "Senpai can I kill her when we're done with her." The masked one asked the blonde man, who chuckled.

"When Lord Pain is done with her she will be dead already." The blonde added. Akina froze.

'Dead?' She gulped. What was going to happen to her? She thought. The blonde man came back into her cell and bent down to her level. She leveled him with a glare.

"Little girls should show more respect." He said and punched her stomach. Hard. She flew back into the brick wall. The cell door closed. Akina sat up trying o get her breathing back to normal.

"Damnit all!" She yelled, stomping her foot against the floor as hard as she could, while being bound by the ropes. Her stomach growled. She was starving. Images of Gaara flowed through her mind. It felt like hours before the door opened again.

"Little girl…" Akina gulped. It was the blonde man from before. His tone was creepy and sent chills down her spine. She swallowed her fear and glared at the person in her cell.

"What the hell do you want?" She yelled at him. Her tone was icy. The man chuckled. He walked behind her and grabbed her arm. Akina struggled to get out of his grip.

"Oi! Itachi-san…do you mind putting her under a little genjutsu?" The blonde one yelled. Now someone else entered the cell.

"Diedara…you are hopeless." The man said. His voice was chilling but calm. It scared Akina the most and reminded her of Gaara when he was younger. She looked up at him and caught his eyes. The room began to spin and soon she was upon a pillar. Everything was dark. She tried to move but she found her hands bound together and her feet also bound together. A white mist descended on the ground below her. Itachi appeared in the center of the mist and held out his hand.

"For the next 72 hours you are my victim." He said. Akina felt the world stop. "All your fears are known to me…and I will use all of them." He began to shape shift. The mist covered him. Akina stared in horror as the mist lifted and she saw Gaara before her. He moved his hand and sand swirled around him now, replacing the white mist. A sand sword began to form. Akina's eyes widened as it pierced her skin. She screamed in agony as more pierced her skin. This time it was twisted inside her. It had already felt like hours to her as hundreds of sand swords pierced and twisted in her body.

"71 hours and 58 minutes left." He said as more pierced her skin. She let out a blood curling scream.

** Elsewhere!**

Gaara whisked through the trees. He was going much faster than his sister, who was behind several feet. The headband around his neck jingled with each step. Her grinning face was still in his mind. He gritted his teeth and sped up again. Temari growled.

"Gaara! Slow down!" She yelled at him. By now back up was sent. In the group was Matsuri, his only student. Matsuri watched him with worried eyes. Gaara was never like this. It reminded her of the Uzumaki boy.

"Akina and I had the same lonely life…but hers was worse!" He began. He slowed down this time. Temari silently listened. "I saw her life! She was used and thrown away by every person she met! People just stayed away from me so her pain was worse than mine." Temari's eyes slowly widened. She hadn't even noticed. Matsuri listened on in awe.

"What's even worse is that she didn't care! She kept going back no matter how hurt and acted like nothing happened…" He clenched his fist and sand swirled around it. He showed emotion that Temari had never seen before. "And when she really needs me I couldn't do anything! That's why I can't slow down! I have to be there for her…she saved my ass a lot of times…now it's my turn!"

"Gaara-sama…" Matsuri whispered. She stared at her leader in awe. A small smile came to her lips. Now she was determined to save her too. She looked at Temari who was smirking at Gaara too but then sighed.

"Gaara I understand you're egging to go but look, you're the Kazekage now and know better than to act like this." Temari began. Gaara listened to her calmly. "I know you want to save her but were going to miss the rendezvous point with Team Kakashi and the rest of us need a break." She said finally catching up to him and putting a hand on his shoulder. Gaara glared ahead but his eyes softened when he saw the team trying to keep up.

"…Alright…" He said jumping down and heading towards the field where they were supposed to meet. The ninja found a tree and sat under it eating the food they packed. Gaara made his way to a small lake that was near the camp site. He sat on the rock above it and stared into the water thinking about Akina. Wondering if she was still alive. His mind wandered to more of their encounters in their childhood.

"_Gaara! Hey!" Akina said as she ran over to him. She was panting and looked a little beat up. Gaara looked at her sadly. _

"_Akina who-"Suddenly she grabbed his arm before the sand could stop her, and dragged him over to play with the others. He tried to pull back so the sand would stop cutting her arm up. The children stopped what they were doing upon seeing him coming. _

"_Hey guys! Gaara's gonna join so-" She was knocked to the floor by a large stone that one girl threw at her. _

"_Get away from us!" They yelled. More stones were thrown. "Didn't we already teach you a lesson for giving us the wrong answers to the test?" Gaara watched horrified. That's why she was so beat up, he thought. It was true. Akina gave her 'friends' the answers to the make up test they took for homework this week. One answer was wrong so the teacher had figured it out and scolded them. They took it out on Akina after. _

"_A-Akina!" He sad frantically as she got back up. More rocks hit her. _

"_I said that Gaara's gonna play with-" This time mud was thrown in her face. She wiped it off. "Us…" _

"_Akina stop! Go without me." Gaara said protecting them from more pelting. Akina merely turned to look at him and grinned. _

"_Yeah right! Like I'm gonna leave you by yourself!" She chuckled. A rock got past the sand barrier and hit her in the head knocking her to the ground. Gaara's anger boiled over. _

"_ENOUGH!" Gaara screamed. Sand whipped out at everyone. Some got away others didn't. It wrapped around their legs. _

"_P-Please let me go!" One screamed as it started to crawl up her. Sand went after her but someone jumped in the way. The sand dropped when Gaara saw Akina in the way of the sand. She was cut up terribly and bleeding from her head. Gaara dropped to the ground with tears streaming down his face. He watched Akina's knees give out as she collapsed to the floor. She still had a smile on her face. Yashamaru saw what happened and ran to Akina's side. He looked at Gaara sadly as he picked her up. _

"_Yashamaru…I…I…" _

"_Let's go home Gaara." He said quietly. Gaara nodded not bothering to look up. Once again he hurt someone dear to him. On the way home Akina woke up on Yashamaru's back. Gaara noticed and stared at her worriedly. She grinned weakly. _

"_S-sorry I couldn't get them to let you play." She said before passing out again. Yashamaru sighed as he fixed her up and then went to the Kazekage's office. It was that very same night that Yashamaru died trying to kill Gaara. _

Gaara sat on the rock looking at the small lake. He skipped a small pebble into it. Konoha had arrived now. They were resting and Naruto had joined him by the lake. Naruto was worried about him.

"Gaara…" Naruto said putting a hand on his shoulder. Gaara continued to look at the lake. "We're going to save her…so stop looking so glum and look more like the Kage you are." He said flashing his famous grin. Gaara nodded. It was true. The teams wouldn't be inspired to not give up if he didn't show the inspiration first. The two headed back to camp.

**Elsewhere! (again)**

The blonde haired man exited the cell and walked up to another man.

"Diedara…how did it go?" The man in the shadows asked. Diedara, the blonde, help up a small syringe with blood in it. The man in the shadows stepped out. He smiled deviously.

"It went perfectly, Lord Pain." He said walking over to a small case and putting the vile in it. "With her blood the Moon's Eye Plan can begin."

**

* * *

**

Gaara: Review...

Kitkat: Hey why so glum?

Gaara: CAUSE YOU MADE MY BESTFRIEND GET KIDNAPPED BY AKATSUKI!

Kitkat: If you want tosave her then ill tell you how.

Gaara: How? *grabs my collar* HOW DAMNIT?

Kitkat: MAke them review.

Gaara: *clears throat.* I command you readers to review as a direct order from your Kage.

Kitkat *pats head* Good Gaachan!


	5. Silence

Chapter 4

Gaara and his team, lead by the ninja hounds, approached the hideout where Akina was held. Gaara, Naruto and Akina's best friend from the leaf Wakana, increased their speed as the hideout came into view. Gaara turned his head slightly and signaled the others to split up. Matsuri went with her teammate Toshiro, Temari with Sakura and Naruto and Kakashi went off as well. He skidded to a stop as well as his partner Wakana. He had a very concentrated face on, as if he was sensing something.

"Gaara-kun what's wrong?" Wakana asked worried about him. He held up a finger signaling her to be quiet. He touched the communication device on his neck.

"Kakashi…do you sense something too?" There was static. A reply came a few seconds later.

"Yeah…" He heard from the other side. Wakana's eyes widened slightly. She closed her eyes and heard it too. Well rather heard nothing. It was completely silent. The silence before a storm. Suddenly sand flew up from behind and blocked an on slaught of kunai. The kunai exploded seconds later. Debris from the trees surrounded them. Gaara growled lowly.

"They knew we were coming." He said quietly. He toughed the communication device again. "Kakashi come in…is everything alright?" He heard static again. Then Naruto's voice. They had also encountered an enemy. Same with Temari's and Matsuri's side.

"So what do we do? Fall back?" Wakana asked. Gaara threw a clone into a wall with his sand before it exploded.

"We fight." He said. Wakana smirked as she dodged another attack and took out senbons.

"Good…I was in the mood for some ass kicking." She said as an enemy popped up behind her. She merely flicked the senbon at him hitting a vital spot. The man fell to the ground dead. More came from behind and surrounded her. More senbon came out of her sleeve as she twirled into the air while simultanesly hitting their vital spots accurately. She landed gracefully on the floor as every enemy before her collapsed. Gaara watched her as she fended off more enemies. She suddenly disappeared; he raised his brow in curiosity while fending off the enemy's before him. He looked back at his current enemy who had now transformed into some sort of beast. He began to make hand signs but before he could do anything, Wakana appeared and took out the beast. Another shinobi flew out of the tree and tackled her to the ground; she kicked him in the stomach sending him flying back into his dead teammate. When he went to get back up she threw a senbon again hitting the vital spot on his neck, killing him instantly. She turned back to Gaara.

"I've got it under control here! You go get her!" She yelled as another enemy came from under the ground. Before he could grab her ankles she flipped and grabbed his arm throwing him out the ground and into a large boulder. Gaara watched in amazement. She glared at him. "For the love of…" She disappeared again and then a kick in the ass came from behind him sending him off the cliff towards the hideout. This he did not see coming. His sand lashed out and caught him as he slid down it. He landed on water and looked at his behind in the reflection of the water and frowned. There was a slight imprint of a boot on his backside.

"She kicked my ass…literally…" He grumbled then looked back; knowing she wouldn't last forever he told the teams to back her up and for Naruto and Temari to back him up. He began running towards the entrance that was blocked by a boulder. Sensing his sister behind him he moved out of the way as a gust of wind gave the boulder a large crack.

"Naruto! Now!" He heard Temari yell. He sensed a large dense amount of chakra behind him. He jumped up as Naruto flew past him.

"Odama Rasengan!" The boulder was blown to smithereens. "Gaara go!" He yelled as he fended off more enemies. They were surrounded, but before Gaara could make a move Naruto had taken care of the problem. "Tajuu Kage Bushin!" He yelled as clones appeared and began to take down enemies. Countless clones and enemies fell now. Gaara went to help but Temari pulled him back and threw him towards the corridor in front of them.

"Don't just stand there little brother!" She yelled at him. He glared seeing that people seemed to forget who he was exactly. An enemy flew at him, but the sand shot up piercing the man and throwing him onto the growing pile of bodies.

"Gaara!" He heard Naruto yell and nodded, running off down the tunnel that led deeper inside this place of evil. He felt her chakra near by and sped up his pace, her face was running threw his mind again.

"_I'm Haruka Akina!" She said loudly so that he would remember it this time. He nodded staring at this crazy girl. She grinned at him. _

He felt something in his stomach flutter. 'I've come all this way…'

"_Sorry I couldn't get them to play with you…" _

The corridor seemed to go on forever and it just kept getting darker as he went farther in. 'Stupid girl…' He thought.

"_Gaara! What happened to you? You not the kind of person to kill people for fun!" She yelled at him. _

'Please…'

"_Gaara I'm a chunnin now! I can handle myself…don't walk away while I'm still talking!" _

'Just please…'

"_So you're Kazekage now? That's great Gaa-chan! I knew you would always be great!" _

'Haruka…' He thought.

"_Gaara…Akatsuki is after us…what are we gonna do?" _

'Akina…'

"_No matter what Gaara… I'll protect you with my life." _

'For Kami's sake…' His jaw tightened. He felt something burning inside him. He ran as fast as he could, taking down the enemy that appeared before him. He saw a light finally at the end of the deathly corridor.

"_I promise! Because you are my precious person!" _

"BE ALIVE!" He yelled as loud as he could. His voice echoed through the corridors. It reached Akina's limp body. The voice rang through every cell in her body as her eyes shot open. Diedara got up from his chair and made his way to the entrance of the prison cells.

"So we have company eh?" He murmured. Another figure came out from behind him.

"Just don't blow yourself up Senpai!" The small figure said.

"Tobi…you could never understand that my art is…an explosion." Diedara said as he held up his hand. His hand mouth spit out a large amount of clay that formed into a bird. As Gaara made it through the corridor he threw the bird. "Katsu!" He yelled and the bird exploded in front of Gaara. Akina watched this in horror. She struggled to get up.

"GAARA!" She yelled frantically. The smoke was thick and thus could not see anything. "GAARA! ANSWER ME DAMNIT!" She yelled again. She felt immense happiness as the smoke cleared and he stood before them with nothing but a scratch on him. He looked at the cell and found her trying to stand up with her broken leg.

"Akina…" He murmured. Diedara appeared behind him.

"Katsu!" He yelled as another explosion hit Gaara. Akina's eyes widened. Smoke filled the room again. Tobi came into her cell and pushed her against the wall chaining her up.

"It's time we move forward with the plan." He said in a completely different voice from before. Akina shivered. Tobi took out a syringe with an orange liquid and stabbed her in the arm allowing the liquid to enter her. It hit her blood stream quickly and she screamed in agony. Gaara stopped fighting to look at her. Diedara saw this and took his opportunity to hit him with an explosion. He flew back into the wall again. Akina held her head in agony. Gaara coughed up some blood.

"Senpai, kill him and fall back after…our job is done." Tobi said, his voice the same as

before he went in Akina's cell. He made a sign and disappeared.

"Why wouldn't I…one less leader to deal with!" He said moving over to Gaara who struggled to get up. Diedara grabbed his hair and pulled him up. Sand grabbed at Diedara but it didn't affect him. He moved to Gaara's neck and began to tighten his hold. Gaara struggled. He used up his chakra taking out enemies before so he couldn't do anything. Gaara shut his eyes as he struggled to remove Diedara's hand. Suddenly he felt an immense pain in his stomach. He felt warm liquid traveled down his clothes. The smell of iron filled his nose.

"No….Gaara…." Akina murmured. She struggled to get up. Something inside her made her ignore the pain in her head. "Gaara…" She said louder this time. Diedara turned his head to look back at her. She made her way to the cell bars. Her face was lowered but he felt a deadly aura from her. There was a sudden spike in chakra, as Akina grasped the metal poles of the cell, they melted. Gaara's eyes were shut trying to get out of Diedara's grip. Diedara, unnoticing, loosened his grip on Gaara as the metal poles from Akina's cell melted. He saw that her leg, that he had broken to impair her movement, had healed. Chakra swirled around her feet. Gaara opened his eyes and kicked Diedara off him. Unprepared for this Diedara moved out of the kick zone just in time. He moved back but a hand grabbed his cloak. He turned around to see Akina. He glared.

"Good for nothing girl!" He yelled and moved his hand so an explosive was sent at her face. She merely flicked it away. Her grip on the back of his cloak tightened as she lifted him up and threw him into a wall. Unable to move in midair he prepared himself for the impact. There was a large hole in the wall when the smoke cleared. Gaara watched in amazement.

"A-Akina…" He murmured. He went to stand but flinched and grabbed his somewhat deep knife wound. The top of his pants was soaked in blood as was his shirt and fishnet underneath. Her eyes turned to him. His eyes widened when he saw them swirl slightly into a deep purple mixed with her normal green. She walked over to Diedara and picked him up again. Diedara was somewhat conscious after the previous damage he took. Most of his bones were broken. Akina smirked as she gathered her new found power in her hands and threw one final punch at Diedara. His skull shattered and flew back into the deep hole. Gaara watched in horror and amazement. The chakra spike in the room disappeared and Akina grabbed her head. She groaned as she walked as steadily as she could to Gaara. Her knees gave out and she landed next to him. She collapsed against the wall and used the strength she had left to grin up at him. His eyes were still wide.

"I-I told you didn't I?" She began. His listened quietly as he applied more pressure to the wound he had. "I promised that I'd protect you with my life…" She said slowly closing her eyes. "Looks like I saved your butt again." She murmured before falling into a finally comfortable slumber. Gaara's eyes softened. The events of a few minutes ago played in his head again. A small smile graced his lips.

"Yeah…I guess you did…stupid girl…" He said closing his eyes as well, sensing the team making their may down the tunnel. His stomach fluttered knowing everything was about to change, hopefully for the better. He heard faint voices, Naruto's voice especially, and then he fell into an almost perfect silence. Almost anyway, not too far off in his subconscious a low growl emitted from the darkness.

* * *

**Naruto: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED TTEBAYO! **

**Kitkat: YAY! AKINA IS SAFE! *Gaara smiles* ...for now... *WHACK***

**Gaara: WHAT DO YOU MEAN FOR NOW WOMAN? **

**Kitkat: Evil evil boy...revi-*WHACK* WHY?**

**Gaara: I AXED YOOU A QUESTION!**

**Kitkat: WELL IF THEY REVIEW THEN YOULL KNOW THE ANSWER! *Naruto pops up obscuring bickering people***

**Naruto: REVIEW! *WHACK* WHAT WAS THAT FOR! **

**Kitkat&Gaara: YOU"RE TOO LOUD!**

**Kitkat: *clears throat* well until next time and naruto if you even try to hit my with that kakashi plushie i will hit you so hard into next year. *grumbling and squeaking is heard from a plushie being dropped* Good fox boy. Review =) Oh I might not update as much since i have PSATs soon and school is starting and *WHACK* WHY GAARA?**

**Gaara: No one wants to hear your problems. **

**Kitkat *shakes fist* BASTARD! *smiles* until next time. *WHACK* THATS IT! *takes out bid fryin pan* Here Gaara gaara gaara...come out come out wherever you are...**


	6. Ashes From Home

**kit kat: Hey hey! so hows school for you guys? just curios any of my readers go to MRHS in hartsdale NY? if so review =) and tell me your name cause i hope people from my school liek anime as much as me! *Thump* I dislike you sometimes ya know that. AND I LET YOU GET AKINA BACK!**

**Gaara: troublesome anoyance...**

**Ktikat: you send wayyyy too much time with Shika-kun...**

Chapter 5

Ashes of Home

Akina woke up in a sandy colored room three days after the rescue team returned. Gaara was in the hospital but was released within a day of healing. She sat up in bed but winced when she put right on her right arm, looking down at it she noticed that her wrist was in a small cast. Memories of what happened flooded her mind. She remembered passing out next to Gaara and that was really it, however. She looked around the room looking, hoping someone was there. No one was, she frowned sadly and got up out of bed, as she put her hand on the nigh stand she knocked off a piece of paper. She picked it up curiously and read it out loud.

"Akina." She began, trying to make out the chicken scratch. "Went out to get you better food, be back in a while, new clothes in the closet, Love Wakana." She said smiling that her friend came as well, to save her. As if on cue there was a knock on the door. She blinked at the door and told whoever it was to come in. The door opened and saw it was none other than Wakana. She grinned happily seeing her friend from Konoha.

"Hey squirt." She said happily. Akina flinched and glared at her. She walked over to her and whacked the back of her head. "Ow! What was that for?"

"I haven't seen you for two years and the first words you say are 'Hey Squirt'!" She half yelled. "There are two things wrong with that! One I haven't seen you for two years and two…I'm taller than you!"

"Check again." She said taking out the food. Akina looked confused and moved her hand from the top of her head to Wakana's. She blinked.

"You grew." She deadpanned, and then chuckled. "I guess I am a shrimp now." Wakana chuckled with her and handed her a cup of instant ramen, shrimp flavored. Akina starred at the cup. "You remembered my favorite flavor." She said amazed.

"Well every time you would come to Konoha the first sentence you would say is 'Lets get some shrimp ramen at Ichiraku!'" Wakana said mimicking her hand movements, which had Akina laughing hysterically. Then they ate stopping very few moments to talk and laugh. It was the happiest moment Akina felt in a long time. There was along pause when they were finished.

"So when do you leave?" Akina asked quietly. Wakana stopped cleaning up for a second, but then continued.

"Tomorrow." She said quietly. Akina's face saddened, but brightened up, as she walked over to the garbage to throw her food out. Her back was turned to Wakana now.

"That means one thing now." She began. Wakana raised an eyebrow. "I don't know the next time I'll be able to see you so there's something I want to do." She began moving back onto the bed with Wakana, who looked so confused. Akina smirked slightly. 'She doesn't see it coming.' Akina slowly moved her face closer to Wakana's, keeping a straight face but making her eyes have the look of bedroom eyes. She stopped mere centimeters from Wakana's lips. Wakana gulped, unable to think straight. "Gotcha." She said suddenly pulling back and grinning at the joke she just played. She laughed so hard at the 'what the hell just happened?' face Wakana was making. Akina actually fell of the bed with a loud _thump._ She got back up quickly mindful of her arm.

"You…You should've seen the look on your face! Man ever since I told you I was bi too it's been so easy to prank you!" She said griping her stomach. Wakana glared at her, getting up and hitting her on the head. Akina fell back on the floor. "Ow!" She said sitting up and holding the large bump on her head.

"That wasn't funny!" Wakana snapped. Akina moved back afraid she might have upset her. Akina gulped in fear as Wakana pulled her up by the hospital shirt she was wearing, a deadly glint in her eyes. "I will kill you." She said, the threat sending chills down her spine. She leaned into her ear now. Akina gulped, now trembling. "Gotcha." She said, letting her drop onto the floor. Akina sat there dumbfounded.

"What-" But she was cut off by a package landing on her lap. "For me?"

"Yes, unless you want to walk around in the hospital night gown all day, which might I say gives a nice view of you ass." She said grinning menacingly making Akina blush.

"Thank you." She said getting up and hugging Wakana, who was stunned to say the least. Usually her hugs were hugs of death. This was not a hug of death.

"Uh, well it's not from me…it's from Gaara…well from both of us..." She began as Akina began to unwrap it, which made her stop and look at her from the corner of her eye. "I helped him pick it out during his break." She said as Akina took pulled out a small bundle of new clothes. "Well, actually it was more like he helped me. Your clothes were torn up and bloody beyond repair and I decided to get you some knew ones and Gaara and I ran into each other and saw what I had picked out and said I wouldn't like it because it wasn't a dark purple or red." She explained as Akina held up a dark purple shirt with black fishnet.

"He also doesn't have a good sense of color combination so I helped him pick out a bottom, though I handled the new under wear since…well the Kazekage buying girl underwear won't look very good for him." She explained as Akina help up a black skirt with the Suna emblem sewn into the front, and a pair of black under wear with lace and a purple bra with black lace. Akina smiled as she explained it to her. Wakana turned around to give her the chance to get dressed without her staring at her.

"You can turn around now." Akina said quietly. Wakana tuned around and grinned at Akina, who was also grinning as she looked at her new outfit. She turned back to her friend. "Thank you!" She said throwing her good arm around Wakana's neck who returned the half hug with a playful noogie on the head.

"Oh and the nurse said you can leave today so tonight everyone is having dinner in the Sand sibling's home, so I've got to help Temari cook for that so I'll catch you later!" She said heading to the door. Before she left she turned around and told her that Gaara wanted to see her in his office today at some point. Said it was very important. Akina nodded and went to get ready.

The nurse came in a few moments later for a final check up, telling her that she was checked out this morning by The Kazekage. Akina looked surprised that he visited her. The nurse informed her that he stayed here a lot for the last few days to visit you after hours and that Wakana would visit you during the day, before she left. Akina walked down the street smiling knowing that both of her best friends visited her. Memories of the previous days flashed through her mind again. She stopped to sit down on a bench to try to calm herself down.

She felt as though her energy was disappearing fast, and then reappearing out of nowhere. It was an odd feeling and she had a small inclination that it was from the liquid that masked one forced in her arm. She took her hand off her head and stared at it. It was the hand she used to take Diedara's head off. Her stomach turned at the memory that she was sure would give her night mares. What she didn't understand was why she slept unconsciously for so long without once having a nightmare. She sat on the bench for a while watching the children play. Many of the parents avoided looking at her, believing that she was the reason why Lord Kazekage was injured.

She looked away from them and back at the children playing with one another. She looked over at the swing set, unoccupied, and got up to sit there. She swung back and forth, her feet digging into the sand. Memories of her getting beat up in the rain flashed back through her head. The sun began to set and like clockwork the parents would bringing their children home, making the park empty. It was a sad silence. Akina looked up at the sky and began to walk towards the tower, it would be dinner soon and she should go to Gaara's office before he went home and she would walk up there and not find him there. It wouldn't put either of them in the best moods.

She decided to take a short cut past her apartment. She jumped from roof to roof top, stopping at one in particular that was destroyed. It looked to be burned beyond repair. Upon getting closer she saw that it was her apartment that had been destroyed.

"W-what…happened…" She said to her self. She frantically climbed through the hole in the already burnt roof and into what used to be the living room. Her floor was covered in ash and her couch wasn't even there. She traveled into her bedroom, her eyes burning from the ash covering everything. Her bed was covered in ash, the curtains no longer there.

"Why…why…" She said to no one in particular as she crunched the ashes in her hand. She turned to her closet…no longer having much of a door. She walked in it with a expression that was hard to read. Her eyes slightly swirled purple when she entered the closet completely.

The clothes in the closet were also burnt to an extent. She spotted a small box, picking it up and saw that the only thing not burnt except for a small brown spot on the edge. She did not pen and merely put it under her arm. Not being able to bear another second in this place, she walked out of her now non-existent apartment, taking with her the box. She closed the charred door and silently walked away from her home for the last sixteen years. She walked the streets in an unbreakable daze, covered in the ashes of her once home. No one seemed to notice her however, but who would notice her anyway.

Not too far away, Gaara sat at his desk, waiting for Akina to arrive. Hours passed and still nothing. The only thing on his desk was a report on her apartment, and her head band. As he read the report he got worried, hoping she didn't discover the disaster. He looked at the clock and slowly got to his feet, hoping she would be at dinner. The rest of the night he and Wakana spent by the window, waiting for her to come. At one point Wakana fell asleep, he put her on the couch and went back to the window still waiting for her to come. She never did.

**Kitkat: Review. OMG who saw the last episode of Psych? GOD JULIETS AN IDIOT FOR JUST GOING BACK TO DECLKEN AFTER KISSING SHAWN! GOD! anyway dont mind me. im just being rantish today. haha i love how my teahcer already wants to throw shoes at me..its only been teh first day! =) love ya sister j! *DONK* **

**Naruto: Urusettbayo! **

**Kitkat: ...**

**Naruto : Review! Dattebayo! **

**Kitkat: WHat the fox said...**


	7. When Her Heart Stops Beating

Chapter 6

Akina sat on the outer wall in the middle of the night, just staring into the dark cold desert. The small box from her apartment sat next to her, still unopened. The moon illuminated her figure, to any guard patrolling the area it looked like the silhouette of angel of some sort. Her hair, though short, was rustled in the soft breeze along with her clothes. She gripped her knees to her chest, still staring out into the desert. Saying that this wasn't her best week was an understatement. She was kidnapped by Akatsuki, Gaara got hurt, she was beaten in her cell and used for some evil plan, everyone came to save her and she was happy. Then she found her apartment destroyed and the only thing surviving was this small box. Slowly her eyes moved off the desert and to the box. Deciding that nothing would get done if she was like this she plastered a fake smile to her face and walked back to the village. She reached the small park again. No one was there yet so she made her way to a large tree with one swing. By the tree was a large patch of roots coming out of the ground. She used to hide many things there when she was little. She bent down and began to place the box under the roots, burying it within the sand. Slowly the sand moved off the roots as she stood up and turned her back. She came met a pair of green eyes, boring into her blue ones.

"Where were you night?" He asked simply, still staring. She closed her eyes for a brief moment coming up with a quick excuse.

"I was tired so I rested here." She replied. His eyes narrowed. "I didn't feel like eating either."

"I meant at the tower…you were supposed to come to the office so I could speak with you." He said this time a little annoyed. Slowly the sand came back to him carrying the small box. He noticed the burn mark right away and his eyes saddened. "So you-"

"Yeah I found it…why didn't anyone tell me before?" She spat. "Isn't it a little important to tell someone when their home was destroyed!" She said louder this time. Gaara's eyes narrowed at her tone.

"If you had come to the tower then I would have been able to tell you that you're living with my sibling and I for the time being! But I guess wandering around Suna alone in the middle of the night was more important!" He spat back, letting his sand drop the box and turning around, disspaearing in a swirl of sand. Akina stared at the spot where he stood in disbelief.

"Did he really just say that?" She said to herself. She angrily turned around and punched a large hole through a rock. Once again she let the person who wanted her to open up leave her there to sit in her own pit of un-expressed emotions. She reburied the box under the roots and sand at this point. Getting up she began to walk towards the gates, knowing the Konoha folk would be leaving soon. Upon arriving at the gate she already saw the siblings standing there saying good bye to their friends. She looked over at Wakana who had a placid expression on her face. She slowly moved behind a tree, to sad and angry with herself to face them. Suddenly sand grabbed her ankles and pulled her out from behind the tree. She hung in mid air upside down, trying to keep her skirt in a normal fashion. She saw Temari staring at her along with everyone else. Slowly the sand floated her next to the siblings, gently setting her down. Gaara wasn't looking at her but rather shaking hands with Naruto and Kakashi, who were smiling.

"Yo." She heard from her left, looking over at Wakana who held out her fist. Akina hesitantly bumped it back.

"Akina where were you last night?" She heard Naruto say from behind her. She turned around slightly and smiled.

"I uh fell asleep in the park." She said hoping he'd buy it, which he did. The others looked at her skeptically but decided to leave it at that. Gaara looked at her form the corner of his eye as well as the siblings. Suddenly Naruto engulfed her in a hug.

"Bye Akina." He said. Akina hissed slightly when he put pressure on her still fractured arm. Naruto immediately pulled back. "S-sorry." He mumbled. Sakura smacked the back of his head. "Ite! Sakura-chan why?" He whined.

"Because! She's injured and doesn't need a bear hug dufus!" She said getting ready to clobber him again. Akina smirked at their behavior. She felt a hand on her shoulder immediately knowing it belonged to Wakana.

"You come with me. Kakashi-sensei go ahead I'll catch up." She said and Kakashi nodded motioning for the others to start leaving. Naruto was about to protest but Sakura shut him up. Wakana dragged a helpless Akina away with the help of the sand that still held her legs. Basically people saw Wakana dragging Akina in midair with sand wrapped around her ankles. They stopped under a tree and she put Akina down gently, mindful of her healing arm.

"Wakana what's -" Akina said but was interrupted. She stopped trying to pull the sand off. It seemed to just get tighter.

"I know what happened to your place; Gaara told everyone at dinner when Kakashi asked what the damage of the city was." She said before Akina could say anything. "I want you to know that Gaara sat at the door from the beginning of dinner to when I fell asleep on the couch, he was waiting for you. He didn't move, eat or close his eyes at all during that time and then I heard him leave the house so I know he went looking for you." Akina stared at her in disbelief.

"So how about for once open up to someone you live with now and let them into your heart." She said poking at her chest where her heart was. Akina looked down and put her hand over her heart. Wakana pulled her into a tight hug. "'Cause he'll be there when you're heart stops beating." She whispered into her ear and ran off to catch up with her team. Watching her friend retreat, she flashed back to when she and Gaara were kids.

_"Akina...why do you stay near me?" Gaara asked as they sat next to each other on the roof. Akina smiled at him. _

_"Because well I really haven't thought about it..." She began trying to come up with an answer. "I guess its because I don't like it when my friends get hurt." She said simply. _

_"Friends?" _

_"Yeah stupid! I'm your friend! And don't say I shouldn't be!" She said shaking her fist. He blinked. _

_"Why?" Gaara asked truly curious. This caught Akina off guard. _

_"Because..." Akina said trailing off to think about it. "Because..." She couldn't think of answer that night. _

"Everybody needs a somebody." She said the last part, finally knwoing the answer. A small smile formed on her face as she made her way back to where Gaara, Kankuro and Temari stood. Kankuro eyed her grin.

"What's so funny?" Kankuro asked, being the first to see her coming. Temari smiled seeing her truly happy face once again. Gaara raised a non existent eye brow. Akina came to a stop next to Gaara and smiled up at him and then back to the Konoha folk before they disappeared into the desert.

"Things are going to get harder from here on out." She said slowly her grin turning into a small smile. "But what ever it is I think I'm ready…nahh I know I'm ready…'cause I wouldn't be the number one hyperactive Suna ninja if I wasn't!" She said putting her hands behind her head and grinning up at the sky. Kankuro chuckled at the logic along with Temari. Gaara smiled softly rolling his eyes a bit. He turned around and headed back to the tower, stopping a few feet in front of his siblings and Akina, who were looking at him confused.

"I do believe you haven't reported to my office yet…" He said in his usual monotone voice. Akina appeared at his side smirking slightly.

"Last one there has to do dishes." She said simply before taking off down the street. "And no teleporting!" She yelled form behind her. He sighed and took off after her. The warmth in his heart was growing slightly, seeing his playful best friend back to the way she was.

"Glad to have you back…Haruka Akina." He said to himself quietly. There was certain light to her features now, a light of hope almost. Like she would be the savior of the world or something. Something told Gaara that he wouldn't be surprised if she did save the world, after all, she is the number one hyperactive maverick ninja in all of Suna…no actually she wasn't he thought to himself. She is Haruka Akina, of the Village of Sunagakure and she is also his precious person.

At the same time Akina was thinking along the same lines of Gaara. "From this day on…I'll protect you with everything I got…Gaara-kun." She said to herself. A warm feeling began to form in her heart, and it wasn't because of all the running either. It was forming because deep down inside she always knew that Gaara would be there when anything happened to her. He was there when she was kidnapped, when she was rescued, when she was hospitalized. He was there form the beginning, after the chunnin exams she saw hope in his new eyes. He gave her hope so she new that he will be there when her heart stops beating.

**_End_**

**This chapter i won't end with a silly conversation between me and the characters. I'd rather tell you about two references in the chapter to two songs i hold dear to my heart now. Darka ga from NSM 3 and When Your Heart Stops Beating by +44. It makes me remeber my reasons for wanting to be there for my friends. They are my life and before i felt so alone even though i had freinds. But now i ahve people who are precious to me and Naruto made me realize this ironically. this the reaosn for this story. These are my inner feelings and dreams come to life. **


	8. Destroyed

Chapter 7

Three and a Half Years Later.

_Years had passed since Akina's kidnapping and rescue. Things in the Hidden Sand seemed to be quieting down and going back to normal. Gaara had his usual amount of overwhelming paper work. In the time that Akina's arm had fully healed she had reached the level of Anbu black op. Over one year ago she also came in contact with a new power within her; it called itself the Rikudo Sage. Subconsciously she knew it was there but never made contact till now. Looking up the history of the sage she found out a lot about her history as well. She also found out the reason that Akatsuki was after her more than Gaara and the others. Apparently those who posses the Rikudo Sage have access to all six paths and the nine demons, which led to the nickname Ruranain. As months passed, she gained new powers. She became an exceptional healer, almost surpassing Sakura, as well as harnessing jutsu that rival many of Gaara's best jutsu and Naruto's recent creation the Rasen Shuriken. She has yet to come up with a name for it, but it's basically a summoning of the Rikudo's spirit inside a scythe much like the late Hidan of Akatsuki. She had gotten wind of the Leaf's battle with the enemy and how Naruto single handedly took down Kakuzu with Rasen Shuriken. In the time that had passed Akatsuki had also begun their plan, successfully capturing the two tailed and three tailed beasts in less than two months. All Hidden Villages were put on high alert, especially those with jinchurickis. Suna was under protection from Konoha as well, being that Naruto could handle himself as well as Killer Bee. Gaara and Akina however were of too much grave importance to be risked. _

_Today, however, would mark the beginning of a war between the Jinchuriki and Akatsuki. _

A knock came on the door to Gaara's office.

"Enter." Kankuro heard from the other side and rushed in. Noticing his urgency Gaara sat up to meet him. "Brother what's wrong?" He said as Kankuro handed him an official paper, quickly opening it he read the contents, his eyes widening. "Konoha has been destroyed…" He said sitting down in his chair. Kankuro looked at him sadly. "Is Naruto?"

"His soul was extracted…everyone else was dead…Gaara…the Leaf Shinobi no longer exist." Kankuro said sadly. Outside, Akina listened in on their conversation. She had seen Kankuro running through the village in an urgent manner so she followed. The words that everyone was dead hit her confusingly. She couldn't grasp the fact of everyone being dead, especially Naruto and Wakana. They were two of the strongest shinobi in the leaf, so how could they be killed. She put her back against the door and hugged her knees. Praying it wasn't true, silently hoping that Wakana was alive, that Naruto was, that the village she loved and felt like a second home was still in existence. Inside the office Gaara was feeling the same way but he had to keep up a calm demeanor.

"Kankuro…put all guards on the borders…" He ordered quietly, still taking in the information. Kankuro nodded and swiftly took off. Sensing her at the door he sighed trying to keep a straight face. "Akina…you can come in." There was a pause and the door opened slowly and said girl walked in. Her face was hidden by her bangs as she walked over to the desk.

"Is it…is it really true…" She said, still looking at the ground. She knew if she looked up at him she'd burst into tears.

"I'm afraid so." Gaara said almost in a whisper. There was a sad silence, which in time Gaara decided to break. "If you would like you can have the week off from missions and-"

"No. I want to have missions…it's what I cam to your office for and what I'll get."

"Akina you're not in the right mind set to be doing missions."

"I'm…fine…" She said, forcing a smile on her face as she looked up. "Really I am. Can I please have a mission?" Gaara's eyes looked pained as he saw her hide her emotions once again. Reluctantly he gave it to her, a B rank, simple enough for Anbu. She took and walked away, closing the door.

"Be careful." He whispered to her when the door clicked shut. "I can't loose you too." He said moving towards the window watching her walk down the street, a lonely breeze blew past her. Within an hour Akina reached the front gates, Kankuro nodded to the guards to let her pass. She smiled in response and took off into the desert. As her figure disappeared a small tear escaped Kankuro's eye, seeing the pain that she was trying so hard to mask. It was truly sad. Temari, who was standing next to him, wept silently at the loss of their friends, especially Shikamaru. She also wept for Akina, knowing she was too stupid to not cry. As Akina traveled through the desert, memories of Wakana flashed into her memory. She remembered the first time they met, during the Chunnin Exams.

_It was silent in the outdoor arena as the proctor stepped forward to call the fist match. _

"_Haruka Akina vs. Wakana Kurosaki." The proctor called. "Please step forward!" He said and the two girls stepped forward. The Suna emblem and Leaf emblem shown proudly on their necks. "If you are both ready…begin!" He exclaimed jumping out of the way. _

"_I'm not going to go easy on you shrimp!" The girl with short curly hair called to Akina. Akina twitched. _

"_I'm not short!" She yelled but Wakana was gone. Quickly she pulled her sword from her sheath just as Wakana appeared behind her, she blocked the attack. "And I'm not a shrimp, my name is Haruka Akina…don't forget it!" She yelled pushing her back with quite a bit of strength. Wakana flew back some and swiftly landed on her feet. _

"_Not bad shrimp." She said running at her. Akina sheathed her sword and jumped in the air, missing her attack and gracefully twirled through the air. She landed behind Wakana and held the placid expression on her face. Wakana spun around with sliced at her with the sword. Akina blocked it swiftly, but a clone appeared behind Akina, grabbing her and holding her in place also restraining her arms. _

"_Shi-" Wakana sliced her body with her sword. The body turned into a log and Wakana spun around to meet her attacker. She blocked the sword attack with her own sword. "How many times do I have to say it…I'm not shrimp…I'm Akina!" She grunted as Wakana pushed her back. This time Akina lost her footing and fell down. Wakana took the opportunity to set off some smoke bombs to hinder Akina's sight. Akina jumped up. "Tch. Don't underestimate me!" She yelled but was cut short when a knee flew into her stomach, causing her to cough up blood. Up in the railing walkway, Toshiro her team mate looked worryingly at the blood on the floor. The other teammate Mirai nudged him. _

"_Hey. Don't worry so much! She'll be fine! This is Akina we're talking about!" She whispered. Toshiro was hesitant but the smiled. Down back in the arena, Akina laid down the floor in pain. Wakana chuckled as she turned her back to walk away. _

"_Weakling." She muttered. _

"_I told you…" Akina said getting up again. She wiped the blood from her mouth and smiled. "Don't underestimate me!" She yelled and made a hand sign. "Lighting Style! Thunder Dragon!" She yelled, a yellow dragon circled around her, emanating from her sword. She drew the sword form its sheath and unhitched a latch turning it into two swords. Making another hand sign she used and ice jutsu to turn the arena into ice. Spinning each sword in one hand she skated down on the ice, going into a high speed spin, releasing the energy from the dragon creating a cyclone from the energy. Wakana jumped back, forming hand signs. _

"_Fire wall!" She yelled and threw out her hands as a wall of fire came up around her. "You want to play like that? Okay!" She said jumping off the wall into a fast spin, the fall spinning with her creating a fire cyclone. She spun along the ice, in the direct path of Akina. The two clashed, almost in slow motion. An explosion occurred, sending both girls flying back into the walls. Smoke engulfed the entire arena. No one made a sound. The sound of more electricity was heard and soon the smoke cleared, showing both girls charging with their swords drawn, each emitting electricity and fire. _

"_This is the end!" Wakana and Akina said a the same time, colliding. There was a blinding light and Akina closed her eyes slightly and pushed forward, missing Wakana by an inch. Wakana also missed her but was able to skid to a stop and retaliate with a chakra packed punch sending Akina flying into the wall swiftly ending the match, by throwing Akina into a tree and quickly pinning her down with kunai. Akina struggled to get up but could not. _

"_The winner is…Wakana!" The proctor announced, Akina closed her eyes in defeat, knowing that she had failed. She felt the kunai being pulled out of her clothes, she opened her eyes expecting it to be the proctor but found it was her opponent. She tossed the kunai aside and held out her hand smiling. Akina took the hand hesitantly. _

"_Next time shrimp." She said rubbing the top of Akina's head. A warm feeling came in Akina's stomach, butterflies almost. She smiled brightly and turned back to her team. Before she left, she looked over her shoulder. _

"_I told you…I'm not shrimp….I'm Akina." She said again and jumped back to her team. Wakana smiled slightly. _

"_Akina…good to know." She murmured to herself as they called Naruto and Neji to fight. _

It was also the first time Akina wanted people to be proud of her. She wanted that feeling to come back right now, she wanted Wakana to just walk in front of her and smile, patting her head. To tell her everything will be alright. But she knew whenever she hoped for something the opposite would happen. Now her best friend, whom she thought the world of, was gone forever. She felt like a piece of her is missing now ad it will never return. Then realization hit. Wakana was dead because of her and her fellow Jinchuriki, at that moment of realization a voice awakened inside of her again.

"_**Akina dear…please be rational…"**_The voice said in her mind.

"_How can I be rational about this...Wakana's dead…the whole damn Leaf village is dead!" _She yelled into her mind. _"If it wasn't for you for sealing the beats in people then this wouldn't have happened! People could have been saved!" _

"_**Akina I had no choice! If they were left unsealed they would've been easier to control! Look at how easy Gaara's father controlled Shukaku before he was put in Gaara!" **_The voice yelled back, making Akina silent for a time. The Sage took this time to continue. _**"Something like this was bound to happen…it's not your fault…but listen up 'cause if you don't shape up and get into the swing of things you won't be able to save anyone!" **_Akina's eyes widened. _**"I see it in their eyes, the hate for you and Gaara as well is disappearing. Many have nothing but respect for you! Wasn't it your dream for someone to tell you their proud of you? So if you're acting like this now then no one will have a reason to tell you…live for both you and Wakana. It's our destiny to save the world with the remaining Jinchuriki! So does the Akina I know back down from a challenge?" **_There was a silence as Akina tried to comprehend this. By now she was sitting in a small cave in the desert. The voice came back into her thoughts. _**"Well? Answer me!" **_

"_N-no."_ Akina said almost in a whisper.

"_**Say it louder. Say it again and again till you know it's true…scream it up to the heavens and let all those who have died for this cause against this unprecedented evil know that you will avenge them. Tell Wakana that no matter what you will never give up!" **_

"_I…I can't…I'm useless." _

"_**You fool! Is this the host of the mighty Rikudo Sage? Is this really the person you want to become? A coward who can't stand up for the people that saved her from everything! Is that what you are…a coward?" **_

"_N-no I'm not…."_

"_**You're hesitating like a coward. You're not the Akina I grew inside of. You're not the Akina that saved the Kazekage. No the Akina I see before me is someone I don't know…if you stay like this you'll never protect anyone…you'll never be able to protect Gaara like you promis-"**_

"_SHUT UP! I WILL PROTECT HIM!" _

"_**HOW DO YOU KNOW!" **_The words struck Akina like a wooden block to the head. How would she know if she was strong enough? _**"Listen to me child, you are the Ruranain…you can do anything you choose to do without hesitation…so are you going to let your friends die in vain because your afraid? Are you going to let Wakana die in vain?" **_Akina reached her limit and lashed out.

"_NO!" _

"_**HOW WILL YOU KNOW THAT YOU WILL SUCCEED?" **_The spirit returned the tone equally. Akina finally had had it and screamed the answer that was waiting in her heart.

"_Because I never go back on my word…that's my nindo my ninja way."_ She screamed at the spirit, who smirked.

"_**That's the Akina I know…" **_She said, her voice fading. _**"Akina…never look back…if you hesitate you will grow old…" **_The voice faded faster. Akina felt a power surge through her veins as all of her friends flashed through her minds._** "…step forward with all your might…" **_The voice disappeared as Akina walked back into the desert, heading to complete her mission. A new grin on her face, the grin that Wakana used to have, a permanent memory etched into her mind. The strength of her and Naruto coursing through her veins, knowing that she was ready to take on the Akatsuki, looking to her left she vaguely saw an image of Gaara walking next to her…knowing that what ever happened next he would be there for her. Because it's like Wakana said; he'll be there when her heart stops beating.

**Elsewhere**

"Sir! We captured the girl…what now?" A newer member of Akatsuki asked. The masked one, Tobi, got up and examined the girl.

"Good job Hidomaru, put her in the cell." He ordered, the youngest Akatsuki did as he was told. Kisame stepped out from behind the darkness.

"What now Madara?" He asked with his chilling toothy grin.

"We wait for them to declare war…we have our secret weapon." He said gesturing to the girl laying in the cell unconscious. Her curly hair hanging in her face she mumbled a single word.

"_Akina."_

__

_**So this one was hard for me to write because i never like character death...even Sasuke character death annoys me but in this stroy he doesn't exist. Lets just say itatchi killed him. When writing that Wakana died too was especailyl hard because shes a represnteation of a good friend of mine that i miss alot. And Naruto is just...you really have to shed a tear or two when he dies cause he's just Naruto!. So review and blah blah blah. Give me reviews. They fuel me!**_


	9. Listening Angel

Chapter 8

_Akina returned within a week's time from her mission. It was a complete success. Although she was temporarily given strength from the Rikudo's words, within the time that she was doing her mission, memories of Wakana and Naruto flashed in her head. Also, in the week that she had been gone, survivors where found in Konoha. Only about ten, however. Hearing the news she rushed to the tower and burst into Gaara's office, asking frantically if Wakana was among them. Sadly she wasn't, her face fell as she walked out of the office, with her mission of the day. As she left Gaara again reminded her that she could take time off and that everyone was worried about her, and again she turned back around and put on that fake smile and said she'd rather do the missions. Only the siblings saw through the smile and each day it was plastered on her face, they'd grow more worried. She'd come back from missions with great reports and no problems encountered, other than the minor enemies. She had not put in however how she viciously killed them if she thought they even reminded her of Akatsuki. She knew if she did put that, others would begin to doubt her state of mind. Kankuro and Temari had begun to doubt her state of mind, when she mentioned it on her way off to another mission. When the two confronted Gaara, he merely shrugged it off saying she'll realize it eventually. Eventually, for her, is a long time. _

**7 weeks later**

Akina walked into Gaara's office, the smile in place, and handed him her report. He glanced it over and nodded, signifying it was good. She waited for him to say something about another mission. A few minutes passed and he said nothing.

"Err…Gaara-sama can I have my mission now?" She asked, trying to get his attention. His eyes shifted to her slowly as he sighed.

"One…its Gaara…you know that full well…and two I'm giving you the week off." Akina's eyes widened at his explanation. She panicked slightly, knowing the missions were the only thing keeping her together.

"Surely there must be a mission I can-"

"No. You've been working non stop on missions for these past few weeks, not taking any time to mourn your friends and allies-"

"Gaara I'm telling you I can handle it!" She said louder this time. She already knew his decision was final, but it was worth a try.

"My decision is final." What a surprise. "You and I both know you aren't in the right state of mind."

"How do you know I'm not in the right state of mind?" She asked annoyed a bit at how he won't allow a mission that is beneficial to the village…_his_ village. Honestly she didn't understand him sometimes.

"Because you haven't said a single word about it." He said, now standing in front of her, his eyes penetrating hers. "You. The talkative never shutting up idiot we all can't live without." He added quietly putting a hand on her shoulder gently. "I want you to take time off and get your thoughts straight. Don't go into to battle like Toshiro-san did after Mirai-san died. You'll only die too." A look of anger flashed in her eyes.

"So what if I do die?" She yelled, angry that he had brought that up. It was her fault that they died in her mind, if she had been on that mission then… "If I die then maybe people will stop getting killed! The Akatsuki will have no more objectives without me right?" She yelled at him and then slapped his arm off her shoulder. His eyes narrowed slightly at her tone but, realizing she was blaming it all on herself, they softened. She held her head down, staring at the ground angrily. Gaara sighed slightly, looking at the clock seeing it was around eight at night.

"Akina…I can't afford to loose you" He reasoned. The truth was the missions that were left were all dealing with Akatsuki and he wouldn't risk sending her into that. Akina, however knowing how his brain worked when it came to enemies, took it as he saw her as a valuable asset and couldn't afford to loose the upper hand.

"Afford? So I'm some sort of weapon?" She mumbled quietly. Gaara's eyes widened significantly. He grabbed both her shoulders and forced her to look at him.

"You. Are. Not. A. Weapon." He said clearly. He loosened his grip slightly. "You think that I thought of you as a weapon? After everything you did for me?" He asked sounding hurt. Akina looked guiltily at him. It took a lot to make Gaara sound even a little emotional, but hurt took more than a lot. It had to come from the person he cares about the most. "You're not a weapon and I'm not my father." He said quietly, grabbing what he was going to do tonight an leaving the office, knowing this was the only private place to actually think in peace in the village he left her there. Akina stood like a statue as he moved towards the door. As it clicked shut she slunk back against the wall. His words rang constantly through her head.

"_I can't afford to loose you." _

…She had sad something of that degree to him once as well. When they were in a battle against the Sound. He was badly injured after being hit with a large number of kunai that some how got through his defenses. She remembered him going down and her running to him screaming his name out. As he struggled to get up she remembered that she stepped in the way of an attack, getting impaled by a sword. She remembered the look on his face, one of horror and disbelief. She remembered what she did next too, she grinned and said:

"I can't let you die stupid…" And then she went into darkness, hearing him call her name. But this was different though! They weren't in battle; they were in his office when he said that. Not in a war but he was trying to protect her from it. She thought of how each time she went to get a mission lately he'd remind her she could take time off, that she could talk to him about it. She knew he cared more than anyone else…more than Wakana had. Sometimes she wondered if the villagers even cared if she was mortally injured. Probably not. As far as she could remember no one knew her name really, the ones who did used her and then made her feel forgotten and lost. Sitting against the wall of the office she thought of where she was before she met those two. She remembered only sadness…but after that day with him at the park…she felt like her heart was being repaired for some reason. Like she could trust again.

When she was assigned to a team. She got along well enough with them but being away from Gaara made her feel so empty sometimes. She knew it was because she secretly loved him…but at the same time she knew that maybe she felt this way because she found something to give a reason to her life. She knew that Naruto was the reason he is the way he is now. She's thankful for that; it's like having the old Gaara back. It wasn't because of her in her mind though, that he was saved, it was Naruto who saved him from his loneliness. Seeing him happy made her happy but empty too, like her reason for existence was gone. But then when he said that he couldn't loose her…did it mean that he was grateful for her? Was he actually going to admit he wanted her around?

Brining her knees to her chest she thought about Wakana for a while…wondering if she was in heaven. She never believed in God, it was all a lie to her. It was so stupid and made no sense but when you look at everything around you have to wonder if some power made it or if science did. Now with Wakana gone she wondered f she was happy somewhere else. She remembered reading a religious boo one time…it talked about a place called the soul society. She hoped it existed even though it was against her beliefs that such a place existed, but it said it was a place for souls and they could live in peace. For the first time in her life, Akina prayed for Wakana's soul…still holding back the emotions that she so badly wanted to let out.

Opening her eyes she looked up at the clock, her eyes widened at the fact four hours had passed. Was she that troubled that she could let so much time slip past her while thinking? Perhaps so. Getting up she left the office, locking it behind her. Not in the mood for dinner, she made her way up the stairs to the roof of the Tower. Settling herself in a smalls pace between the wall and railing she began star gazing, searching for the Little Dipper and the big dipper. She found the scorpion in the sky too. She found Wakana's sign in the sky too, smiling sadly. Something brought her out of her thoughts however. She quickly ducked behind a heat releaser on the roof as, in a swirl of sand, Gaara appeared on the roof.

She masked her chakra and presence for the time being and just decided to watch him. The wind blew slightly, ruffling his messy hair. His figure was also outlined in the bright moon light, looking almost like an angel. His masculine features were more defined as he sat watching over the city. She smiled contently at his expression of calm. She had forgotten how hot he looked under the moon light. She'd only seen it when she'd be leaving on missions at night but would always notice it and smile contently, having the feeling that, like a guardian angel, he was watching over her. She was brought out of her content feeling by sand grabbing her leg. She yelped as it lifted her upside down and carried her over to Gaara. She was brought face to upside down face with him, sighing he eyed her questioningly.

"I got here first for the record." She mumbled, looking him dead in the eyes. He rolled them in response, flipping her back over and putting her down on the roof again.

"I thought you were in my office." He started. "So I came p here to make sure you were alright and to eventually take you home, however I see you made it up here to watch the stars again."

"Yeah…just like old times…being surrounded by documents and old papers isn't how I want to spend my nights." She responded, smiling to herself at his worry for her. "Gaara?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you…for everything." She said quietly, hugging his waist. His eyes widened in surprise and he stiffened at the contact. Soon he relaxed and hug her back hesitantly. He smiled contently at the warmth radiating off her body. Pulling away she looked up at him. "I think I'll take that time off…I haven't really thought about what happened until tonight." She said, Wakana and Naruto flashing through her head. She bit back tears suddenly.

"That is good to hear…Akina you know you should really tell someone about what you're feeling." He said…worry evident in his voice. "Shinobi must not show emotion, that is true, but to keep it all in is unhealthy…you only make yourself weaker if you carry this whole sadness and guilt on your shoulders." He said quietly. Akina looked down sadly. He was right…a wave of emotions hit her. She clenched her fist trying to not let it come out. Sensing her unstable emotions Gaara hesitantly put an arm around her shoulder. "Akina…" He said worryingly again. The tears threatened to spill over.

"Gaara…p-please…" Her voice was staring to choke slightly. A tear rolled down her face. His grip on her tightened slightly as he saw the tear roll off her onto the roof floor. "God…I hate this…" She said wiping away another. "I feel so weak." She said her voice slightly squeaking. Gaara looked at her sadly, bending down so that they were sitting and she was leaning on him. He bent down in her ear to whisper something.

"It's okay…I'm here to support you." He said quietly and that set Akina free. Her emotions overflowed and she cried hard that night. Cried for what happened to her when she was a child, how everyone scorns her, that her friends are dying because of her. Gaara sat with her holding her, just listening; because that was all she needed right now…someone who could listen.

After all everyone one needs a listening ear once in a while…because every body needs a somebody.

**Review ^_^**


	10. Shattered

**OMG IM SO SORRY! i've had Psats so many tests and i got food posiong on top fo that! gahhh ill make the next one extra long! Promisee! **

Chapter 9

**5 months later**

"Gaara!" Akina called from down stairs of the Sabaku residence. No answer. "Gaara!" She called again, this time louder. Still no answer. Sighing, she turned towards the stairs. It was quite late in the morning and Gaara hadn't shown up at the office. People were worried when the punctual Gaara didn't show up. They sent Akina to search for him since there were no missions needing her assistance.

She reached his door and knocked loudly. There was no answer; becoming worried herself she knocked again. Well banged is a more accurate description. There was no answer again. For a second she felt someone's presence but it wasn't Gaara's chakra signature. She quickly broke through the door, knocking it off its hinges. She clumsily landed in the room, standing up quickly with her sword drawn. There was no in inside the room and the signature was gone.

Turning back around, she picked up the door and leaned it against the wall. Well, what was left of it anyway. She checked the other rooms too and no one was there. Something felt weird to her. Not only was Gaara not here but neither were his siblings. She looked at her watch.

"10:00 A.m…Kankuro should still be sleeping…" She mumbled to herself. Deciding that nothing was going to give her clues here she left and returned to the tower. Sensing the chakra signature, she bolted up to the office, breaking down the door in the process. She sped to a stop, tripping on the rug and crashing her head into the desk.

Quickly, she got up and looked around, her eyes landing on the door that was elevated of the ground y something under it. She unsheathed her sword walking up to the 'something' under the door. Tearing the door of it she jumped onto the body, holding the sword to its neck.

The chakra signature disappeared the second she saw the familiar face under her. She quickly pulled back her sword and stood up. Grinning sheepishly, she extended her hand to the, now glaring angrily, person on the floor, who had a large bruise on his face.

"Hi Gaara!" She greeted him as he stood up and rubbed the bruise annoyingly.

"Why?" was his only word. The tone could send chills down the spine of the bravest of shinobi, however it did not affect her in the least bit. It could be considered some what of a gift of sorts. Akina's face turned serious.

"I sensed a different chakra signature in here and I wanted to investigate quickly…when I went to your home the same signature was there…" She explained. Her eyes moved around the room again. Turning around and walking to the window she continued.

"However…when I went inside every room no one was there." She said quieter, almost to herself as if trying to figure something out.

"I'll investigate it later…" He responded. Akina hesitantly nodded and left the room, not asking for her mission. Walking back to her new apartment she tried to make sense of everything. But something didn't fit. Gaara didn't fit. Silently she sat in her room, thinking over the details of what had occurred. First she sensed someone was in the rooms…but no one was. And she was never wrong at sensing things. Even the sage had agreed. Then the chill like something bad was going to happen and then the signature appeared. That all pointed to something bad. And then the signature just vanishing in Gaara's office just as she entered. Gaara was there and no matter how hard he'd try he would never be able to hide his signature. One too many coincidences. Plus…he didn't assign her a mission…he _always_ assigns a mission. Again…one too many. Sighing she got up and moved to her window. The voice of the sage broke through her mind suddenly, sounding distressed.

"_**AKINA! GAARA'S IN TROUBLE! I sense his demons distress child…he's being forcibly pulled out of his host!" **_The sage said quickly. Akina gasped at the window and growled lowly. So, Akatsuki decided to make their move eh? Well they won't be able to stop me! She thought as she grabbed her things and headed out the door. She began running down the streets fast, dodging between people. The sage broke through her mind again.

"_**Calm down child, whoever's acting as Kazekage is with them so you must act natural, walk to the oasis and sit there, someone is following you, and I can feel their hate." **_Akina's eyes widened, she was acting carelessly again. Damnit!. She quickly came up with a plan and ran into of the food shops. Quickly she bought a sesame chicken and dumplings and took it to go. She walked calmly out of the place and headed to the secret oasis with her normal grin in place. The person in the shadows took no notice that she knew. In her mind Akina was fuming mad, and hating to act patient. When she reached the oasis, she sat down and began to eat 'happily.'

Then, deciding he wasn't going to go away, she decided to go for a swim. She needed a secret place to do a shadow clone. Undressing quickly she jumped in the water. When she dived far enough down she made hand signs and her clone came up for air. The clone continued to swim before getting out, dressed and walked away.

"_**Akina…they're gone…" **_The sage popped back into her mind and Akina flew up for air. Lucky for her she knew how to use algae to get oxygen under water ne? She did a quick transformation jutsu and headed off to the gates, deciding to leave the oasis in a different direction. She reached the gates and looked at the guards who smiled and she returned it as she showed them her 'mission paper.'

"Alright…" The guard looked at the name on the paper. "Yoko-san. You may head off! Good luck!" The guard saluted her and she took off running through the desert. She made her way to Kumogakure, hoping Raikage would be willing to help.

**Back in Suna**

A hooded figured walked into the Kage's office. Taking a seat by the window he made contact with the new Gaara.

"She leave yet?" 'Gaara' asked. The figure removed his hood, smiling.

"She's heading to Kumogakure I believe." The man informed her. "Should we capture her now?" He asked putting his feet on the desk and closing his ebony eyes. The man in Gaara's uniform chuckled.

"Let's play with her some more." He decided. "Bring _her_ out Uruyuu." The man ordered smirking as he watched the unnoticing villagers.

"Right." Uruyuu said getting up and leaving the room. When the door closed, the man turned back to the large map of the shinobi world that was on the wall. Picking up a kunai he tossed it at the sign for Suna, hitting it dead center.

"_Two down…three to go…"_ He mumbled, moving away from the board to reveal Konoha and Suna having kunai's in the center of their symbols.

Uruyuu reached a small cavern, blocked by two boulders. He knocked seven times before they opened. Walking inside he made his way past many cells, guarded by men in black cloaks. These where without clouds, and thus henchmen of the original ten members of Akatsuki. Stopping at one cell eh nodded for the woman to open it. It opened with a slow creak and he walked inside.

A small figure sat, hugging their knees in a corner. They heard the foot steps coming and backed further into the wall.

"Stay away!" They yelled. It was the voice of a woman. She was bloody and her curly hair stuck to her face. The glasses she normally wore were broken on one lens. Uruyuu moved closer to her, a cynical smile appearing on his face.

"Come here…little girl." He said. Her words sent shivers up her spine.

"N-No! Get away!" She yelled as he grabbed her collar. He bent down to her ear and whispered.

"Now now! We're only paying you're dear friend Akina a visit!" He said in her ear. The girl struggled in vain as he dragged her out of the room. "I'm sure she would just _die_ seeing you!" He laughed as two other guards picked her up and put a sack over her head. The girl struggled again and yelled.

"LEAVE HER ALONE! S-STOP!" The man laughed again.

"What did you say? I wanna see my friend be captured? Okay! Let's go then boys!" He said heading to the door again. One of the guards tapped her shoulder lightly, knocking her out. Uruyuu smiled evilly again as they neared the door. What an interesting even this will be. He thought as the door opened into the unsuspecting world.

Kumogakure.

Akina reached the gates, now undoing the transformation. Skidding to a stop she spoke to the guards. Hearing her distress they sent her up to Raikage's office. She knocked on the door.

"THIS BETTER BE GOOD IDIOTS!" Was her response. She entered the office and Raikage's eyes narrowed at the sight of a sand ninja. "I received no earlier news of a _Suna_ ninja being invited. Akina cleared her throat nervously.

"Sir I am sorry for this but the Sand needs your help!" Akina blurted out. Raikage blinked and then scoffed at her words.

"And the mighty Gaara couldn't send a message?" He laughed again. Akina's blood stared to boil.

"N-No…he's been captured by Akatsuki and one of their men have-"

"Telling a rivaling village that isn't smart little girl." Her temper flared dangerously, Raikage sensed this and smirked. "Got an angry one eh?" He laughed. Akina walked up to his desk and slammed her hands down. How dare he scoff at this! His village could be next! Idiocy!

"God damnit listen to me! They are targeting every single village! What gives you the right to laugh!" Her eyes narrowed dangerously and both her chakras swirled around her feet. "I'm asking for backup against this to rescue Gaara and the sand village!" Raikage stood up and matched her glare.

"How can I trust you?" He growled out.

"Because I came to the man I thought would be strong enough to save us. They already got the Kyuubi and if we don't hurry they're going to have the Ichibi…and…myself." She said backing up. Gaara had told her never to tell any nation about her but this was an emergency. Raikage's eyes raise din slight interest.

"You? What's so important about you?"

"I'm…" She bit her lip wondering if she really should. Gaara and Wakana's faces flashed through her mind and she made her decision. "I'm the Ruranain." She said quietly. Raikage's eyes widened for a brief moment and they he bellowed out a loud laugh.

"So _that's_ what Suna had other than Gaara!" He roared. Akina's eyes narrowed again. He wasn't taking this seriously.

"So will you help?" She asked quickly. Raikage blinked and closed his eyes in thought.

"I will help on one condition…" He said. Akina stared at him eager to hear the condition.

_"…after this is over you must abandon Suna become a Kumo ninja." _And just then her whole world shattered for a third time.


	11. Rematch

**Ayoo! What's up my faithful readers? Sorry i ahven't updated in a long time...well it feels long...on the bright side...this is a longer chapter so enjoy! Hit the 3,000 mark! ENJOY! **

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_**Chapter 10**_

_"**I will help on one condition…" He said. Akina stared at him eager to hear the condition. **_

_"…**after this is over you must abandon Suna and become a Kumo ninja."**** And just then her whole world shattered for a third time. **_

His eyes penetrated hers, staring into her soul, watching her every breath, every slight movement, waiting for her to walk out because it was an 'impossible deal.' Her world was shattering into little tiny pieces right about now. Sheer shock was written all over her face. He smiled at her expressions, as they went from anger, to sadness to confusion. He took this opportunity to walk around her, eyeing her. Putting her under pressure didn't help either. Gaara was in trouble right now and she needed back up and Suna was no help since the government was being run by fakes. Slowly he bent down to her ear.

"If you agree tot his he will be saved, if you don't…I doubt you can handle this alone little girl." Suna would be defenseless and this bastard would no doubt go after it. Her life in Suna flashed before her eyes. She was going to have to leave it all behind. It was the logical decision. Somewhere in her heart she knew she was going to hurt both of them but…right now her people meant more that she did. They always meant more than her. Setting a placid expression on her face she made her decision.

"I will do it on one condition…I accompany your men on this mission." She said. She had to see him one last time and she had to her job as Ruranain and send Shukaku's spirit to another soul if it wasn't fully extracted. It was her fate. "I want to head the medical team when we get him, since I have expert healing abilities and I want to escort him to a rendezvous point." She added. "If it's too much for you to do then I can always go myself and you can loose a valuable asset in war…" She trailed off. A malicious smile found its way onto Raikage's face.

"Smart little girl…very well I will allow it but after that you can never see Suna again, all traces will be erased and you will never join any joint missions unless in times of war." Raikage finished. He pulled out a paper and wrote down the names of teams and also the terms of the agreement. Akina signed her name and walked to the door, waiting for his instructions. But he looked like he was waiting for something. Grudgingly she knew what it was. She made her way to the center and bent down on one knee.

"My Lord what are you're orders?" She forced out. The smile on his face only widened.

"Go immediately to the gate and wait for the teams…the rest is up to you." He said and she got up, moving to the door. As she closed it she heard him say one last thing. "Don't forget our agreement." He said in a creepy sing song voice. She quickly made her way to the gates to wait for her new teams. Eagerly waiting to rescue Gaara, but hesitant to go leave everything behind. Silently she wondered what Naruto or Wakana would do. The teams arrived quickly and she introduced herself as there new shinobi after this mission.

* * *

Akina and her teams made their way to the hideout where the Sage had tracked Shukaku's spirit energy. Spirit energy is like a human fingerprint, each person's own spirit energy is unique…even a demons. The teams had by now separated into three groups. Akina's group, group one, headed the front, group two and three on either sides a few hundred feet from each other. Akina closed her fist tightly, trying to keep from speeding up ahead of her group of unfamiliar ninja. It was annoying to say the least.

Suddenly smoke bombs had gone off, along with explosions right after, splitting the groups up quickly. With quick thinking, Akina used her wind scythe jutsu to blow away the smoke laced with knockout chemicals. One third of her teams had been knocked out; the others had been captured in a sphere of chakra. Groaning, Akina made her way to the sphere, examining it quickly. A small kanji on the left side of it caught her eye; she walked over to that side and traced the outline of it.

"Everlasting." She murmured. Her eyes widened when she recognize the kanji. "It the kanji for everlasting!" She blurted out. "That's-"

"_My jutsu_." She heard form behind her. The low girl voice as always. Akina spun around to meet the person she was hoping wasn't a living zombie right now. She wasn't a zombie that was for sure.

"Wakana…" She murmured as she watched her apparently not dead friend step out from the shadows. "You're alive!" She yelled running to her friend. She saw a glint right before she tackled her and jumped away quickly as Wakana lashed out and caught Akina's clothing, making a slash mark on the side of her shirt. Akina skidded to a stop and she landed, looked very confused. "Why?" She asked, her heart tearing further into pieces. She looked back at her struggling team.

"Because you didn't save them" She responded. Akina's eyes widened and tears brimmed on her eyes. "Our village is GONE! DO YOU HEAR ME? GONE!" She yelled out, throwing a large number of senbon at Akina, who dodged them easily. Wakana jumped in the air and tackled Akina to the floor as she evaded the last senbon bunch. She held a kunai to her neck. "I trusted you and you promised you would be there!" She growled out, pressing the kunai further. Tears threatened again as Akina saw her friends eyes. They weren't the same. She was being hypnotized. Akina quickly kicked Wakana off her.

"Undo the jutsu and let them go. Let this be a one on one match." Akina said. It was a stupid choice, but necessary at the time. "Fight me now." She said again. Wakana smiled and undid her jutsu. The shinobi were behind Akina in an instant, listening for orders. "Recue the Kazekage, I will follow soon." She explained, summoning a small raccoon to lead them. It was her special summoning that let her summon a miniature version of any demon she wished.

"Hai!" They said and took off towards Gaara's chakra signature. That left just Akina and Wakana on the field, facing each other. The blank stare that Wakana was giving her, made her wonder if she really was alive in there. When the blank stare eventually faded, she was taken back by the hate in her eyes. Wakana unsheathed the blade that was attached to her back, and held it at an angle where the sun gleamed off it. She played with it in her hands, twirling it around her fingers like a baton.

"Did you know…that when two shinobi cross blows in battle, if they're strong enough they can see the feelings in each others hearts?" Wakana asked, eyes moving away from the sword and meeting Akina's. She stopped twirling her blade now, and held it up, pointing it at Akina. "I wonder…if you've gotten stronger…"

"Wakana…I-" Akina jumped up, narrowly avoiding the shadow clone that tried to impale her from behind. She retaliated by using her feet to grab its neck and twist it, earning a deafening snap, making the clone turn back to earth. Barley a second after, another four clones flew down from above her and each grabbed an ankle or wrist, effectively stopping her from moving. The real one was already flying down at great speed with the sword ready to impale her head. Just as the sword made contact Akina disappeared, leaving a log in her place. From behind Akina grabbed her arm and forcefully twisted it back, preventing her from moving for a second. "You really intend to kill me don't you?" Akina murmured sadly. Wakana looked from the corner of her eye, still holding only hate in her eyes, into hers.

"Yes…I am."

Akina dodged another attack swiftly. There wasn't a single wasted movement with Wakana. Her moves were perfectly executed. Just as one was avoided another two right behind it. Akina was panting now and Wakana showed no signs of exhaustion. This was going to take a while and she didn't want to go all out.

"Tiring out already squirt?" Wakana said smirking. Akina growled lowly. There had to be a way to wake her up…but what? Wakana suddenly used the flash step Naruto taught her to appear in front of Akina. The exchanged more and more blows and more and more the Wakana she knew began to disappear...

'Wakana…' Akina thought. 'From the day I met you I wanted to be you're friend.' Another blow came and she blocked sending Wakana flying back a few feet. 'You always had that look in your eye…always wanting to be the best…' She thought again, remembering the girl she had known before. 'You were always so happy…so amazing at everything you could do…I watched you all the time when you came on missions to Suna…you trained relentlessly…' Another blow, this time with her sword. It grazed Akina's shoulder. 'I was frustrated when you beat me at the chunnin exams so I made you my rival…' She remembered the picture of Wakana she made with shuriken thrown on it. She remembered Gaara questioning her and then walking away like he didn't care. Once again Wakana threw herself at her, Akina ducked but Wakana grabbed her shirt and threw her into a tree. She got up again and looked her friend in the eye trying to find any trace what so ever. 'I guess…that I just wanted you to recognize me…' She continued to try to think of ways to free her from the trance.

Akina was caught off guard and this time thrown into the ground. She then grabbed her by the neck and picked her up, choking her. The look in her eyes didn't change. Akina thought as she was unable to get out of her grasp. She felt the air slowly disappearing and only heard her heart beat. "Wa…ka…na.." She choked out. She felt tears coming again. Was she going to loose her friend again? She felt blackness coming to her eyes. 'I can't…'

"_If you want to beat her then just get better…" _She heard Gaara's voice in her mind. Akina blinked in her conscience. Gaara was right. She just had to get better than how she was right now. She gripped Wakana's hands that were still around her neck.

'I can't…I can't….' The ground around her began to shake slightly, Wakana looked around quickly trying to find the cause. Her attention was brought back to Akina when there was a deafening snap. Wakana let go and grabbed her hand in pain. Akina dropped down to the ground and Wakana jumped back, healing her broken wrist.

"What the hell?" She yelled. Dust rose around Akina. It swirled in a cylinder like shape, surrounding her in the dust, Wakana was unable to see through it. She quickly unsheathed her sword and jumped into the dust, ready to impale Akina. As she found her and her sword came down, Akina lashed out her hand and grabbed the blade, flinging it across the open area, into a tree. Wakana back flipped away. She still couldn't get a glimpse of Akina. Suddenly the smoke cleared and it revealed Akina being covered in a black aura. The temperature of the air suddenly dropped. "What the-" Akina's head shot up and met Wakana's eyes. They were a dark purple.

"Wakana!" Akina's voice boomed, mixing with the sage's. "Wake up already! You're not who you usually are! You're not the Wakana I know!" She growled out. And if it takes everything I got to make you wake up then it'll be my pleasure!" She roared again, lifting her hand up and throwing it down, sending a wave of dense chakra at her. Wakana flew back 50 feet into the trees. Akina dashed off after her, and before she crashed into the ground Akina grabbed her by her collar and threw her into the air. Wakana flipped as fast as she could and formed a hand sign. She electrically charged her body and lifted her leg, dropping at an alarming rate.

"Guillotine Drop!" She yelled as her leg connected with Akina's head. Akina was forced into a crater. As Wakana landed, Akina shot up through the ground and grabbed her leg swinging her into a boulder again. This time, Wakana was bleeding when she laid there. Akina bent down and picked her up by her collar.

"Well are you awake yet?" She growled out. Wakana looked at her, groaning and spit blood into her face.

"I am awake…" She grumbled before kicking Akina in the stomach, making her let go. She grabbed the sword that was hidden in her clothing and pierced Akina's chest. Akina cried out and pulled the sword out. She fell on her knees. "I've known you for years and you still can't beat me!"

"So then I'll just get better until you wake up!" Akina retorted and cut one of her fingers and slamming her palm onto the ground.

"Wind Style! Reaper scythe!" Akina growled and a bright light formed around her. Wakana jumped back as a five pronged scythe lashed out at her. Suddenly a clone grabbed her from behind and held her in place. Wakana struggled to get out of the grasp but couldn't. Akina flash stepped towards her and punched her in the stomach. Hard. Wakana coughed blood and fell to the ground. Again Akina picked her up. "Now are you awake?" She growled throwing her in the ground again.

"Why? Why do you care so much?" Wakana yelled getting back up again. Akina was taken aback. For a split second she saw her friend's eyes come back.

"What do you mean? You attacked me first!" Akina yelled back, grabbing her and pushing her up against a rock.

"Anyone else would've killed me by now! You haven't!" She yelled. Akina's eyes widened. What was she saying? Does she know what's going on?

"_**This jutsu that she's under…it takes the kindness one holds towards someone and flips it around….very cruel jutsu…" **_he sage's voice faded in her mind. She was letting her fight this on her own.

"Wakana…"

"Why?" She yelled again, struggling to get away from the Akina. "You thought I was dead! How could you? Why are you trying to wake me up? I'm alive!"

"Because you're acting like an idiot! The Wakana I knew wouldn't be caught in such a genjutsu like this! This…isn't you…" Akina said more softly. "This isn't the person I wanted to be like since the day I met you…"

"This is the real me! So kill me already! Don't you have to save you're precious Gaara anyway? Why bother fighting me after you're team go away? It's so stupid!" Akina tightened her grip on the scythe.

"It's not stupid when you love them!" She yelled out. There was a silence on the field.

"W-What?" there it was again, the eyes were normal again. Maybe this was how she could get her back to normal. It was now or never.

"You…heard me…" Akina said looking at her, not daring to look away. "Are you that blind that you can't see that I have a great admiration for you? You're the person I've looked up to the most! I always wanted to be like you! You were my rival…I made you my rival because…well…I just wanted you to for once say you were proud of me! That's all I wanted form you!" Akina yelled. The look in her eyes was returning to normal.

"…but it's too late now…I've helped to detain you from saving Gaara…" Gaara! She'd completely forgotten about him. She hoped that the teams found him by now.

"It's not too late…I..._we_…can still save him." Akina reasoned. Where was she going with this?

"I can't go with you…if I leave they'll kill you…the only way to kill a demon is to wound its heart-" A man appeared behind Wakana and shoved a needle into her neck, silencing her. Akina's eyes widened.

"Let her go!" She yelled running at him. The man escaped easily with Wakana, jumping on a tree limb.

"I think she's said enough…" the man said, disappearing in a puff of smoke. Akina desperately concentrated, looking for her chakra signature, but found nothing. She was gone again. Collapsing to the ground, she cried in frustration. How many more people would she loose? Getting up after a moment, she wiped her eyes and concentrated on Gaara's chakra signature. Finding it she dashed off into the direction. Looking back momentarily at the spot where Wakana had been. She had a feeling it wouldn't be the last time she saw her…and next time…

"I'll get you back…Onee san." She murmured, flashing stepping her way through the forest.

* * *

**Good? Bad? Terrible? REVIEW! I live reviews they make me feel special! Oh and OMG READ THIS ERIES ON FANFIC! WHIRLWIND! omg its a collabiration story with 5 stories i believe its amazing! Just saying. Bye Bye! **


	12. Too Late

**OMG IM SORRY! school and stuff...junior year...nuff said. Read and enjoy. **

**Chapter 11**

Akina moved swiftly through the trees, finally catching the signature of Gaara's chakra. She couldn't help but wonder if she should have gone after the guy that grabbed Wakana, but what she said made her hesitate. What did she mean by it? She knew it had something to do with a demon, no it had to do with her…but…something didn't fit. Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt Gaara's chakra signature disappear and reappear. She bit her lip in nervousness and flash stepped faster, muttering his name under her breath so it was a silent whisper, almost like she didn't want anyone to hear. Her heart tugged at the thought of him dying and she knew she wouldn't be able to handle it. She'd barley be able to handle her new life in Kumo after this. She thought of a number of ways to try and escape the deal but it came to the single fact that she wouldn't be able to go back to Suna…where would she live now? By the looks of the people in her 'team' they already didn't like her. Not that there was much to like, in Akina's mind…sometimes she thought she was lower than dirt. A signature that appeared next to her brought her out of her thoughts. Quickly she jumped off the branch and tackled the person to the ground. As she grabbed their collar they screeched out.

"Akina-sama!" Blinking she let go before they hit the ground. The person landed with a thud in the bushes. There was a groan of discomfort as he got up from the dented in bush. Akina got up from her spot on the tree branch and hopped down to him. Giving him a quick glare she asked him who he was.

"Inoue, Toshiro Ma'am." Akina twitched at the title he had given her. She hated when people called her Ma'am. It made her seem old. Akina turned and signaled him to follow. He grinned and kept up with her, impressing Akina slightly.

"Well…was there a reason you appeared out of nowhere? It had better be about Ga- I mean Kazekage-sama." She corrected herself quickly…better left unknown that she knew him in such a personal way…it would only get in the way. She gave him a quick glare when he didn't answer. He returned it with blank stare and answered.

"We scouted out the area and found nothing that pointed to the enemy knowing we were there."

"…We?...How many scouted?"

"Ten."

"…Not bad…but they know were here…"

"…Huh?"

"This is Akatsuki we're dealing with…ya' know? The S class criminals like Uchiha Itachi and Diedara. Evil masterminds bent of taking over the world" She explained waving her hand as is it were nothing. Toshiro blinked at the explanation…but more at she could be so calm on a mission like this. "Do you honestly think they don't know we're here?" Toshiro smirked. He liked her attitude.

"Do you honestly think that we wouldn't assume that?" He answered back with a question, earning a smirk from Akina. Maybe she had found a friend…or rather someone useful from this village. "We surrounded the area in groups of four, using the information we got we found four main weak points and stationed one group of six around those. We're just waiting for you to come…" He finished, acting like it was nothing at all.

"But did you-"

"Station the long range fighters at the weak points and the close range at the strong points? Yeah we did."

"Smart people." She murmured and Toshiro grinned. There was silence as they continued through the trees. She sensed he wanted to ask something. Sighing she told him to say what ever he wanted. Toshiro hesitated.

"Why are you here…what did Raikage do?" He asked quietly. Akina's eyes widened slightly. So he knew their Kage was good for nothing. Akina sighed again.

"Well…it's not important right now…the mission-" He interrupted her. Something Toshiro did to many people when something was on his mind. Akina growled slightly.

"You remind me of someone I know…she was forced to stay in Kumo after coming here to rescue someone important to her because they didn't trust any villages because this one wasn't involved in Akatsuki…she was so lost in her eyes…but I never once saw her sad…that's why she reminds me of you…she's actual-"

"Toshiro!" A woman called from ahead of them as the saw them approach. Akina's clones sat by the group smirking slightly. Toshiro smiled slightly and jumped off the branch twirling on it slightly before landing.

"Yo!" He said smirking at the woman who rolled her eyes. "We ready to go Mirai?" He asked her and then looking at his group who nodded. Akina stayed on the branch. Toshiro looked up at her. "We're all set…should we move forward Captian?" He asked pulling out the sword that hung in its sheath, on his lower back. Akina thought it over for a moment, looking off into the distance. This was it. Gaara was just a few minutes away and she could save him. She grasped the necklace around her neck with a gourd around it…he had given it to her for her sixteenth birthday and she never took it off. He heart raced and she nodded. Toshiro smirked and disappeared to find his group. Akina looked at Mirai who began to crack her knuckles.

"I've been in the mood for some ass kicking." She mumbled. Akina smirked at her boldness, she reminded her a lot of Wakana.

"Well then…we can't waste anytime can we?" Akina murmured and signaled her clones to tell the groups to start moving. Mirai nodded and the two headed off to the boulder that blocked the entrance to the door. Taking a close look at it Mirai quickly devised a plan.

"Let me handle this." She said and pulled back her fist. "I hope they don't mind their door being smashed in." She said sarcastically. Akina shrugged.

"Go apeshit if you must." She said and Mirai let her fist collide with the boulder, smashing it into small pieces. "Let the games begin." She murmured as they were met at the door by an army of a hundred Zetsu's. Akina summoned her scythe and dove right into the army, uprooting them off the ground, slicing them in mid air into bits and pieces. She landed gracefully and the team looked mildly alarmed at how easily she can kill. She smiled at them and signaled them to continue inside. They scattered about the cavern and took defensive positions. Akina moved to the front again and used her senses to find Gaara. Sensing his chakra fluctuating more frequently she bolted down a corridor with five members behind her, Mirai stayed behind with the others to fend off the other Zetsu's. Akina could sense how close Gaara was to dying. Shukaku was almost completely out and she had spent too much time fighting with Wakana. Resisting the urge to punch the wall she used her anger to sprint ahead, narrowly avoiding another Zetsu that came out of the wall. Twirling in the air she pulled poison laced senbon out of her sleeve and hit the major pressure points, killing him easily. Landing she yelled at the team to keep moving. They were having a hard time keeping up.

As Akina made her way around a corner, something burst through the wall, sending her flying down the corridor into a wall. She got up out of the hole she created and stared in alarm as her team fought off Kisame. She saw a few of the team go down/

"Shit!" She yelled and sped back after them, forming a hand sign to create several clones. She sent them to take care of Kisame and save the team. While the clones took care of Kisame, the team members that were still alive continued down the corridor much faster. They came to the end off the corridor, which was a dead end. Cursing herself for not sensing this before she gathered up her chakra and began to beat the wall in, making her own corridor. The others helped by setting explosive tags around to make it wider. She sensed Gaara's chakra fluctuate again and hastened her punches. "There. Is. No. Way. I'm. Going. To. Loose. You!" She yelled into the wall and punched it again, breaking through to another hall. She sensed a massive amount of chakra being accumulated to the right. The team set explosive tags and Akina set them off. The dust cleared and Akina ran into the large cavern again. She saw Gaara hovering in the air and the dim light around him fading. Her eyes widened significantly and she ran towards him, screaming his name. Pain stood on the top of the sealing shrine and watched her grab him before he fell to the ground.

"You're too late Ruranain." He said and vanished. She ignored him and immediately began to try to revive him. She felt no pulse. She kept pushing chakra into his system. The medical ninja gathered around to help.

"Come on Gaara! Wake up! You can't die!" She yelled at him. There was no movement. Tears began to form at her eyes. "If I loose you then…" She mumbled as she tried to envelope his entire body in the green glow coming from her hands. The rest of the medical team backed away shaking there heads, showing their sadness as well. Raikage would never permit this but…watching her so sad made them sad as well. Feeling such emotions for someone you don't even know. Only a pain as great as this could be the reason for complete strangers feeling this way. There was still no response. He was gone. Toshiro moved next to her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Gaara!" She wailed. "Please just wake up! You're terrible at jokes! So stop playing dead!" She cried harder. She remembered that when Gaara entered the regular infantry in Suna he would always play dead when he got hurt on a not very serious mission with her. Making her think he was dead. She hated it and refused to admit he was good at playing dead. Even though…it just gave her a reason to be closer to him.

"Captain…" Toshiro murmured to her. She continued to cry. Hating herself also for showing such emotion. "Akina…he's gone."

For the third time in her life…Akina's world had shattered as she held Gaara and cried. Loosing the one person she loved.

**^_^ Review!**


	13. Baal

**OMG IM SO SORRY! I had boy issues...well more like broke up with him really...but im sorry for notupdating so i tired to make this a good as possible! **

Chapter 12

Toshiro put his hand on Akina's shoulder, trying his best t comfort her. She looked back at him and narrowed her eyes. He didn't flinch as she shrugged him off. "Akina-san there's nothing we can do…his pulse is gon-"

"I don't care." She snapped and set Gaara's head down on her lap. She looked up at the shrine in front of her and studied it from a distance, wiping her tears away. Without turning around she called out to the person in the back corner. "You with the byakugan…come here." She called. She'd known right from the beginning that there was a stolen byakugan in her teams. The girl hesitantly stepped forward.

"Y-yes?"

"How long have you had the byakugan?" She asked turning back around. A stoic expression held firmly in place. "I can tell by your looks that you are most definitely not a progeny of the Hyuuga clan…but yet you have it."

"What is it your business to know about it?" One of the team yelled angrily. Her eyes narrowed dangerously at Akina, whose stoic expression still did not change.

"Natsu-chan please…" The girl with the byakugan murmured to the girl called Natsu-chan. "When I was nearly five, my family was picked to do an experiment. Raikage-sama implanted the byakugan in my eyes from a war prisoner from the third great ninja war." She explained. Akina looked thoughtful for a moment but then turned back around to the shrine and meandered around it as if looking for an answer.

"Could you sense everyone in the place?" She asked quietly breaking the eerie silence. The Byakugan user hesitated but nodded and murmured a yes. "Please do it." She said going into the pack on her back and pulling out a list. She looked at the title, running her fingers over it. It brought back many memories.

"_Akina…take this…" Gaara said handing her the folder. "If anything should happen to anyone…this will be useful." He said turning back to his desk, hiding the smile on his face. Akina read the contents and nodded her head. "_

"_I don't have to worry though…because I'll protect you…" She said turning back to the door and walking out She stopped with her hand on the knob and turned back around and walked up behind him. "No matter what I will protect you." She murmured and hugged him from behind. Gaara stiffened at the contact but relaxed into the hug. _

"_I have no doubts about that…Akina…" He responded and she poked that back of his head and turned back to the door, walking out. As she closed the door she heard him murmur something. She couldn't tell what it was that time. _

Last time she didn't know what he had said…but this time…she finally figured out.

"_I love you." _

Tears threatened to spill over again as she opened the file and looked at it for the first time in a few years. The pictures of every member next to the name. Handing it to the girl as she activated the byakugan, she walked over to Gaara again. Sitting down in a meditative position she closed her eyes.

"Akina-san?" Toshiro asked quietly? Akina's eyes opened again after a while.

"Byakugan girl…what's your name?"

"Yumi." She said as she scanned the left wall for signs of life. She marked off another name. "So far I've seen a very powerful chakra below…it's more of a mass of chakra actually. It's centered around something…I think a person…they're absorbing it!" She said, eyes widening. Akina's stoic expression turned to one of thought. A few minutes passed and Natsumi spoke up.

"So what do we do?"

"You get out of here…I stay here and finish everything up..." Akina said. Toshiro eyed her suspiciously. "First I'm going to perform something so I need two of you to sta-"

"I will." Toshiro said stepping forward. Akina nodded and Mirai followed him. She gave the other sterns looks and they took off through a hole in the ceiling after one of then used an earth moving jutsu. Once she was sure they were gone she turned to the two.

"Guard the door…I'm going to perform a jutsu to bring him back…but as soon as he's got just a bit of chakra…push yours into him and get out of here quickly." She explained as she made a hand sign.

"What do you plan to do?"

"Blow the place up along with everyone in it." She said monotonously. Toshiro stepped forward.

"You can't be serious!" He screamed at her. She didn't flinch or answer. It was her duty to perform such an act when almost all the beasts were captured. "You're not even twenty and you're going to sacrifice you're life? What are you insane?"

"Toshiro!" Mirai yelled at him. "Stop." She said and he quieted down, the fire still loomed in his eyes. She turned to Akina. "What you're doing…I understand….but-"

"No time." Akina said and she took out a piece of chalk from her bag and a paper. With the blood she drew from one drum she wrote down an inscription and handed it to Mirai.

"If I don't comeback in two hours set this off and run with Gaara." She said handing in it to her. She moved to Gaara, drew a circle around him, connecting him to the circle with six lines. She drew a second circle on the outside and connected it with six lines. She bit her thumb quickly and let the blood drip down her hand as she sat in the second circle. She made a hand sign, unrecognizable to the two shinobi. "Demon Style…" She murmured. The circle began to faintly glow. "Spirit Summoning!" She yelled and slammed her hand in her circle. The two circles formed a barrier around Gaara and Akina in a bright light. Toshiro covered his eyes while Mirai continued to watch the entrance hall. When she saw the coast was still clear she looked at the light, un-squinting, she saw the two bodies floating in the circles. Surrounded by a dark aura that could only mean death for one of them.

Akina floated in a bright light, holding onto Gaara's spiritual body. She had no idea where she was. Her Sage wasn't present in her conscious either, something that had her worrying. Suddenly she felt a cold chill go down her spine. Quickly she turned around and met the cold stare of a cloaked man.

"**Nearly thousands of years since a Ruranain came here…" **The cloaked man said.** "Tell me…do you fear death girl?" **He murmured in her ear.

"I've come here for the spirit of him…I'm aware that you have it." Akina said with a stoic expression in place. The cloaked figure smirked, sending chills up Akina's spine. But she ignored it.

"**Ah then you are aware of the deal that must be made?" **She hesitated slightlybefore nodding. The smirk turned into a full grin.

"Yes. I'm aware." She said. When she did not hold out her hand the cloaked figure looked at her curiously. "I understand you like to make deals however…" The grin on the face came back.

"**Depends on what you have in mind."** He said.

"Right here…right now…we fight. If I win then you let both of us go and give him soul. If I loose you get my soul forever." She said. She looked back at Gaara. "If I loose let him go though…in return for my soul you let him go." The figure did not speak. Akina's heart sped up slightly. Would he agree? The grin became a toothy smile and the cloak was removed. It revealed a young man, with black and white hair, and two different colored eyes. Under the right eye read the number eleven? He was Baal. The Nijubi.

"**You're on." **He said and with a snap of his fingers they were transported to a large field. Akina looked startled for a second, even more when she didn't see Gaara. Satan smirked. **"I left him in the spiritual space…out of the way." **Akina lunged forward with taijutsu first. Baal moved back, deflecting every kick. He grabbed her ankle and threw her back. Akina gracefully flipped in the air, pulling senbon out of her sleeves. She bounded of a tree that was nearby and twirled in the air again, sending spiraling senbon at her enemy. A shield came up around Baal, deflecting the senbon. Akina landed on the ground and glared. He was fast and had a shield. She quickly formed a hand sign.

"Fire Style! Dragon Flame!" She exhaled her chakra laced air, turning it into a fire dragon that lunged at Baal. He held up his hands and deflected it with a sphere of energy.

"**Fool! Fire is my element! You have no chance!" **He laughed. Akina came form the below the ground, fist first. Baal moved back a step and she narrowly missed him. He spun around and kicked her. She efficiently grabbed the kick holding him in place. From behind her clones scattered.

"Who's the fool now?" She said. Each of the clones summoned her scythe. They took on a stance around him. Baal's grin grew.

"**What talent!" **He laughed. **"I cannot wait to add you to my collection!" **

"Yeah well you won't have the chance! Reaper style! Barrage of scythes!" She called. The clone charged at Baal and she waited until a scythe pierced her, making her disappear. Baal was stuck in the middle of the attack. Akina popped up from under the ground breathing heavily. That had taken a lot out of her. A burst of energy suddenly erupted, throwing Akina off her feet. The clones disappeared.

"**Amazing!" **Baal yelled. **"Simply amazing! What talent you have! The brute strength, the timing! Amazing!"** He laughed. Akina stared in disbelief. He had nothing on him. She got up quickly and formed a hand sign. **"Now what good will that do?"** He said from behind her in her ear. Akina jumped forward and was hit by a bolt of electricity. She screamed in agony as it coursed through her veins. Before she could bounce back, he was in front of her. The grin back in place. He shoved his fist into her stomach, sending waves of hot energy this time though her body, burning her stomach. She grabbed it in pain as she crashed into the tree. Baal moved swiftly to the broken tree and picked her up by her shirt. **"Is that all you can do? Ruranain?" **He whispered into her ear. She grimaced slightly at the immense pain she was in. She spit her blood in his face.

"You haven't seen anything yet." She said and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Baal grinned madly. She was good! He swiftly hopped into the trees and chased after the chakra signature heading south.

"**Running away are we?"** He called as he caught up with her. He extended his hand and sent a burst of energy towards her, knocking her on the ground. She grunted in pain but got up again. He jumped in front of her and grabbed her neck. **"You should give up already. No one can beat me. You're a failure of a Sage." **Akina writhed in his grip.** "just give up already!" **He laughed in her face throwing her into the ground. **"You can't save him." **

"_Gaara…" _

"_Hn?"_

"_Do…do you think that I can protect the jinchurickis for as long as I'm alive?" Akina asked suddenly. Gaara looked at her surprised and then back out over the horizon. _

"_That's such a stupid question to ask…" He murmured. Akina's eyes fell. Did he think her shallow now? "The answer is so clear. Akina…you're one of the best fighters I know…and I'll be right there next to you…ready to fight." He said silently. Akina stared at him, jaw gaping. He looked at her side ways. "What? Do I have something on my face?" Akina rolled her eyes. _

"_You sure know how to ruin a moment." _

"_You sure know how to stare oddly."_

"_Says the king of staring oddly." She said sarcastically, mimicking his voice. He rolled his eyes. She looked at him again with happy eyes. Leaning over she hugged him again. "Thanks…Gaara." She said and kissed him on the cheek before leaving. She left him there, with a hand on his cheek, eyes widened considerably. _

"**Well? Do you give up?" **Baal yelled. Akina grunted into the ground and got up again. She had a large gash in her side that was bleeding profusely.

"_Gaara!" Akina ran up to her friend with her hands behind her back. Gaara stoically nodded to her. "Close your eyes!" Gaara looked at her questiongly but did such. He felt something put in his hand. Opening his eyes he saw a gourd shaped necklace. "Happy Birthday!" She yelled happily. Villagers turned around quickly with smiles on their faces and began to come closer. "I saw this and thought it was perfect for you and-" She was pushed away with the crowd as people gathered around to wish their leader a happy birthday. She smiled sadly as she saw him awkwardly thank them. Walking away she held the matching half in her hand. "He'll figure it out…" She said tying it around her neck. "Never give up…suits you well Gaara-kun." She murmured. _

Akina struggled again to get up. She looked into the eyes of Baal. The insane eyes that held only death and pain. Could she really just give up and leave Gaara alone in the world and be stuck eternally with…_him_? Baal bent over slightly and grabbed her face, pulling hers close to his.

"**Tell me…why don't you give up?" **He murmured to her. Akina stared back at him menacingly.

"Because I…"

"_promise me that you'll always be there Akina-chan!" A young Gaara said happily to his good friend Akina. Akina grinned back. _

"_Of course!" _

"**Well?" **He smirked into her face.

"Because I made a promise…and I don't go back on my word…that's my ninja way!" She yelled at him and broke loose of his grip. Summoning her chakra to her hand she punched him in the face, actually making contact and throwing him back some feet into the ground. Appalled that he was actually hit, Baal stood up angrily.

"**HOW DARE YOU HIT ME! INSLOENT BRAT!" **He yelled and lunged at her. Akina moved back slightly, pulling her fist back. 'This is it!' She thought. Baal pulled back his fist.

"I WON'T LOOSE!" Akina yelled as her fist collided with Baal's. The chakra's collided viciously as the pushed each other back. Baal stared to gain some head way though. Akina flashed back again.

"_Akina…you've got yourself a good one…keep him…" She heard Wakana say before she walked past her through the entrance of Suna having completed her mission. _

"_Wakana…" She murmured._

Akina pushed back again, gaining head way with Baal. 'Wakana…Naruto…Toshiro…Kankuro…Gaara…' She thought, their faces flashing through her mind. 'If I loose now then…I'll have broken my promise…so…' Naruto flashed through her mind.

"_I never give up…and I don't go back on my word…that's my nindo! My ninja way!" He said proudly as he took down Neji. _

'Naruto…knowing you, you would have beaten him already by spinning some incredible jutsu…' Akina pushed harder against Baal's fist. Baal faltered slightly but kept pushing. 'I refuse to loose!' She yelled into her mind. Screaming in fury she pushed again and this time slipped off of his fist and collided with his face. A sickening crack was heard as Baal flew back into the trees. Akina fell on the ground exhausted form her fight. She had done it. She beat the Nijubi. Laughing slightly she stumbled as she walked over to him.

"I win…" She exhaled.

"**It is done…you may go…he is fixed…" **Nijubi said quietly. A bright light engulfed him. **"Never before have I seen such strength in a mere human…what a game…" **He murmured before disappearing into a light. Akina held her side tightly as she saw the field turn back into the white space she was in before. She looked frantically around until she saw Gaara trembling slightly. Rushing as fast as she could she knelt down next to him as he opened his eyes. She felt his forehead, seeing it was normal temperature she looked at him. He smiled slightly.

"You…came…" He murmured but she shushed him.

"You're an idiot…" She murmured. She bent down to hug him, holding back a great deal form bear hugging him. Moving again she put her forehead on his and stared into his eyes. The proximity between them did not bother Gaara at all. His heart began to beat rapidly as did hers. "But you're my idiot…" She whispered and closed the distance between them, kissing him passionately. He hesitated at first but kissed back soon with equal passion.

For once things felt right. But it was only beginning…this was after all…only the spirit dimension. They still had to go home. But…for Akina…what was home? It wasn't in the sand anymore...Raikage would make sure of that. But for the time being Akina enjoyed this moment.

**Review ^_^**


	14. Return

**SORRY SORRY! I've had alot to do lately so i haven't been able to write...and today was just...sigh...i think i might just write the whoel story and then updater like 10 times in one day.**

Next time i update will be most likely Christmas because i have my bands show. I'll try though!

Chapter 13

Akina pulled away from Gaara, both breathing heavily.

"You realize we have to get back to the real world right?" Gaara reminded her quietly. Akina gave him a blank look. Then she remembered she instructed Mirai to blow the place up with them if she wasn't back in two hours. She calculated the time. It was almost two hours.

"Shit." She mumbled and grabbed Gaara's hand. He chuckled at her franticness. "Not a good time to laugh baka!" She yelled at him, he blinked at then realization hit him. She did something stupid…again.

"You told them to blow the place up didn't you?" He asked. There was a silence before she spoke.

"…no…" She said, hoping he would buy it. "W-what makes you think I would do that?" She said, cursing herself for stuttering.

"…I have a list of reasons why…" He said clearing his throat. "One: You tried to blow up my office…with blue ink." He began. Akina face palmed herself. "Two; You tired to blow up my house…with pink ink and when that didn't work you dyed my hair pink." He continued putting up two fingers.

"I get it." She mumbled. He smirked again. "Look I told them to blow the place up with me inside it if we don't get back in two hours…we have five minutes." He blinked. He stared at her angrily now and she rolled her eyes. "Yell at me later."

"Oh I will...count on that." He said. He opened his mouth but she cut him off.

"Four minutes." He shut it promptly and let her continue. "Release!" The space around them began to disappear. Soon they found themselves in the circles Akina had drawn. Mirai stood over her with a grin on her face. Akina rolled her eyes. She sat up to see Gaara staring at Toshiro. He looked over at Akina.

"Who the hell is he?" He asked pointing to Toshiro. "He looks like a ten year old boy." He said bluntly. Toshiro twitched slightly.

"K-kid?" He murmured. Mirai suddenly appeared in front of Toshiro and held him back and he began yelling at Gaara. "WHO'RE YOU CALLING A KID?" He calmed down slightly when he looked at her. Akina turned around suddenly as there was a loud bang heard throughout the cavern. Akina took off towards the sound knowing it was something bad, Gaara struggled to get up but couldn't. Mirai bent down next to him.

"Akina!" Gaara yelled after her, still trying to get up. Mirai put her arm around him and hoisted him up.

"Relax…you're not yet recovered form the rigor mortis." She explained and helped him up. She looked at Toshiro and nodded, he instantly took after her. When he was out of sight, Mirai moved towards the hole in the cavern, where light shown.

"Let me go." Gaara growled out.

"No can do. I have strict orders by her to not let you go after her until she is finished with her job." Gaara's eyes narrowed dangerously. He sand began to pick up around him.

"I don't think you understand." He whispered. Mirai tightened her grip on him. "I've lost everything once…I can't loose it again." He said louder and in a swirl of sand he was gone. Mirai spat at the ground, angry that he got away. He was a Kage after all.

"Idiot!" She yelled and went after him, taking off down the dark hallway, following the sound of the moving sand.

Akina followed down the dark hallway, tracing the chakra signature. She recognized it as Wakana's. The air suddenly got colder as she went farther. Her adrenaline started kicking in now. As she reached a new door, she was grabbed by something and thrown back. She gathered chakra in her feet and stood on the ceiling, glaring down at the Kazekage, who materialized next to his giant hand of sand. Her eyes swirled dangerously.

"Why?" Was all he asked. She turned her head slightly in confusion. Sighing, she got down.

"Gaara! I have to go!" She said, moving past his sand. She heard Toshiro and Mirai coming down the hall. She quickly started to run but she was stopped by something. It wasn't the sand again. Gaara had grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him. He hugged her around the waist and rested his chin on her shoulder, so his mouth was level to her ear.

"You kiss me in the spirit world and now you expect me to let you go to your possible death?" He asked, sounding hurt. "This would be the second time I came close to loosing you…if I loose you again…I…" he trailed off. Akina looked at the ground, as if trying to make something out of it.

"Gaara…I…don't want to loose you but I _have_ to do this…" She said softly.

"Then let me help." He snapped at her. She flinched slightly as his grip tightened. Sighing she put her hands on his and started to remove his hands from her. She felt him tense as she removed his hands from her waist and turned to face him. She met his worried eyes with her determined ones. "You're just going to have to trust me…" She said, standing on her tip toes to place a short, but emotion driven, kiss on him. His grip on her tightened as she pulled away. "Don't worry…I'll be back…I promise." She said pulling away and giving her signature grin. He looked at the floor, knowing if he looked at her one more time, he would be unable to let her go. She took that as his okay and ran down the corridor. When he was sure she was gone, he looked up and smiled sadly.

"You're a terrible liar Akina…"He murmured and turned to face Mirai and Toshiro, both who were glaring at him.

"You let her go?" Toshiro growled out, moving to grab him. "She'll die! Who knows what's down there?" He yelled at him. Mirai told him to calm down and he did slightly but still fumed.

"Toshiro…it's her job…"

"Yeah well her job sucks!" He snapped. Gaara couldn't agree more. Toshiro let out an exasperated sigh and looked at Gaara. "So what do we do now?" He asked Gaara, who continued to stare down the corridor.

"…We wait." He murmured, and summoned his sand to block the entrance to the corridor. "If and when she needs us…we'll know." Toshiro glared at the sand wall. "For now though…we have company…" They turned there attention to the end of the corridor where two lone figures stood. The air around them suddenly dropped in temperature, making Mirai shiver slightly.

"…Protecting someone who will only bring more turmoil to this world? Is that really peace?" They said from the end of the corridor. Gaara's eyes narrowed at the voice, he recognized it from when his demon was being extracted. Even more…he recognized it as the guy who started the ceremony. A low growl erupted from his throat as he laid eyes on Madara

"The person who's causing turmoil to our world is you. Not Akina. Damnit she's trying to save it!" Toshiro yelled, pulling out his sword. "I swear…if you even think to come near her I'll kill you." Malice dripping from his voice. Madara merely chuckled in response.

"She's already dying you see!" He laughed out. Toshiro and Gaara's eyes widened. Mirai looked down at the ground, having already known the truth. "Oh you did not know of the little side effect of the jutsu she performed on you? Lord Gaara?" Gaara's eyes widened in realization that it was a Spirit Summoning, a jutsu that would kill the user in a matter of days. Madara smiled under his mask at the look on Gaara's face. "Oh ho! So now you understand! There is nothing you can do now monster!" He yelled and slammed his hand on the ground.

"Kuchiyose!" A puff of smoke surrounded him. Toshiro felt the air drop a few degrees and the chakra pressure increase tenfold. He began to build up his chakra around his body, letting off a small amount of electrically charged chakra. He looked over at Mirai who was doing the exact same thing. She met his eyes and nodded.

"Gaara…" Toshiro mumbled. "Go. Save her before she dies…" He said louder so he would hear. His eyes twitched slightly, but he hesitated.

"We of the cloud are not taken lightly…we can handle this guy…" Mirai said as she formed a hand sign. The smoke cleared and revealed Madara standing with two figures. "Plus…don't you have to find your siblings too? If I recall…Akina mentioned something about the sand siblings going missing…" Gaara's breath hitched in his throat…how could he have forgotten about his siblings. He turned and looked at the corridor, sighing he made the sand fall from the door.

"Just don't die." He said before taking off down the corridor, chasing after Akina.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Toshiro mumbled as focused on the three enemies before them. "Mirai handle the girl with the pink hair…I got the one in orange." He said to her, pulling out his second sword as the blonde in orange charged at him. "Lighting Style." He grabbed the boy's arm, twisting his arm while concentrating his chakra into his arm. "Single Lariat!" He called and connected his arm with the boy, sending him into the wall as a sickening crack was heard. "One dow-" The body turned into nothing. "Kage Bushin?" Swiveling around he jumped out of the range of what looked to be a swirling ball of charka in his hand, however it had hit is leg, breaking the bone slightly.

"Rasengan!" The boy yelled as it made contact with part of his leg. Toshiro cried out in pain as his leg cracked and he hit the wall with quite a bit of force. Struggling to get up, he was met with a pair of crystal blue eyes.

"J-Just who _are_ you?" he mumbled.

"**Uzumaki, Naruto."**

Gaara traveled quickly down the hallway, sending his sand ahead of him. The second it found her he would be there. He would not let her die a second time.


	15. Final Battle Part 1

Chapter 14

The Final Battle Part 1

Akina sped down the hall way getting closer to the growing chakra signature. Her exterior features were clam and cool but on the inside she was pumping adrenaline like no tomorrow. She was beyond exhausted and no doubt had only a few hours left before the jutsu, Spirit Summoning, would take its affects and sacrifice the remaining amount of chakra she would have. So in actuality…there really was no tomorrow. IN any case, she turned round another corner, stepping on the floor, she somehow triggered a trap. The floor collapsed beneath her.

"Whoa!" She yelled as she quickly threw her kunai, attaching a wire to them, and having them stick into ceiling. When she was sure they were stable she moved back and forth with her weight above the seemingly never ending pit. When she had built up enough momentum she swung herself over the pit and safely onto the floor. 'Looks like they're getting more cautious as I go deeper…' She thought, but an idea popped in her head.

"If I can't use the floor…then I'll just walk on the ceiling." She said out loud and used her chakra to stick her to the ceiling and she continued down the corridor running upside down. A very clever move.

* * *

Gaara in the meantime continued down the same corridor, only a few minutes behind Akina. Deciding it would be faster if his sand found her, he sent a handful of it flying down the corridor. The second it found her he would transport himself to her.

* * *

Mirai and Toshiro continued to fend off the resurrected Sakura Haruno and Naruto Uzumaki.

"Rasengan!"

"Lateral Bolt!" Toshiro's electrically charged arm collided with Naruto's Rasengan. Equally matched at this point, they both flew back. At the same time Mirai and Sakura exchanged taijutsu moves, battering each other as much as possible. Mirai narrowly avoiding her kill shot from her medical training, retaliated by grabbing her from behind and lifting her up, also electrically charging her body.

"Liger Bomb!" She drove Sakura head first with all her might into the floor beneath them, made of pure hard earth. However Sakura managed to damage a few tendons in Mirai's legs. With one more hit to her leg she was bale to lessen the force of the blow. Enough for her to cushion herself with a chakra reinforced spine. The blow did some harm however. As Sakura hit the ground Mirai had let go from the push on her tendons. Jumping back, she leaned against the wall. Sakura jumped up, ignoring her pain and charged at Mirai with a chakra loaded fist.

"Take this!" Sakura yelled and made contact with Mirai's stomach, sending her flying down the hall way into Toshiro, who had just landed a good hit on Naruto.

"Mirai!" He yelled, catching her. "We need to make a big distraction and then hit them with something big." He said to her.

"I've got…just the thing…" She coughed out, spitting out some blood. Standing up she formed four hand signs. "Lightning Illusion! Flash Pillar!" The corridor filled with a bright light, blinding Sakura and Naruto.

"Sakura!" Naruto yelled, still blinded.

"Close your eyes Naruto!" Sakura yelled back.

"Kuchiyose!" They heard from behind them. Naruto quickly created a Rasen-shuriken to counter, but in the process broke his right arm. Before Sakura could heal him. Mirai flung her down the hall with and electrically charged elbow bolt. As Toshiro ran to help Mirai, Naruto flung an Odama Rasengan at him with his clones. This he dodged seconds before impact, however. Landing a few feet away Toshiro wondered if he even _had_ a chakra limit. Toshiro quickly looked towards Mirai, but as he turned back Naruto threw him into a wall and continued to beat him.

"Toshiro!" Mirai yelled. Suddenly he kicked Naruto away from him and grabbed his katana.

"You don't have to worry about me…go…I can handle this!" She nodded and ran down the hall towards Sakura, forming quick hand signs. Sakura formed hand signs as well.

"You won't escape this! Lighting Style!" Mirai yelled. "Lightning whip!" She yelled, changing her chakra form into a whip like style, then combining her chakra nature. It lashed out against Sakura, hitting her flesh; it left a cut that was burning form the outside in, rotting her flesh. Sakura grunted in pain and was forced to stop the hand signs. She quickly began to heal the wound while throwing a large number of shuriken at Mirai.

Mirai flipped backward, avoiding each with accuracy. In the onslaught, she hooked a letter bomb onto a kunai and threw it at Sakura, who caught it by the end and twirled it back at Mirai, who was caught in the explosion. She flew back into the wall, effectively fracturing her shoulder. She grunted in pain as she stood, but before she could make a move, Sakura had already grabbed her by her neck and held her up.

"One little pinch and I could kill you." She murmured. Mirai struggled, unable to get out of her grasp. She glared at Sakura, who met her gaze with a smirk. Something caught her eye though. Sakura's eyes were glazed over…like she was _dead_ or something. "Give up." She said to her. Mirai looked over to Toshiro, who was being held against a wall by Naruto's clones, unable to move.

'Shiro-kun…' She thought.

"_You don't have to worry about me…"_

"No…" She mumbled, watching Naruto charge at him with a Rasengan. It collided with Toshiro, driving him into the wall, she heard his scream of agony and then…nothing. "Toshiro!" She yelled.

Mirai kicked Sakura in the area that her whip had gotten her. She let go and she ran over to Toshiro. Naruto moved to grab her but Sakura shook her head. "Let her see the kind of damage we are capable of." Mirai knelt down next to Toshiro, feeling his pulse. Or…rather what was his pulse. The damage that was done was great...too great for his body to handle. His eyes opened slightly.

"Hey…you look so worried…didn't I tell you not worry about me?" he said softly. She saw his eyes becoming darker…he was loosing oxygen. For the first time in years she felt tears brimming, and she let them fall. Toshiro stared at her before smiling.

"Why are you smiling? You're dying!" She yelled at him.

"Because I got to work with you one last time…" He said softly. He reached up with the last of his strength and stroked away the tear. "I got to work with someone who...meant the world to me…I can' think of any other way to die then to be fighting…along side you…"

"Shiro-kun…I don't want you to die…" She hiccupped, grabbing his hand.

"I don't want to either…but there's no way I can survive this…I guess this is it…do me a favor?" She hesitantly nodded. "Never change." He said to her and closed his eyes, his hand becoming limp in her hand. Her eyes widened as he closed his eyes.

"S-Shiro-kun! Wake up!" She shook him hard. No response. "Shiro-kun!" She yelled in agony.

"Is this the first time you have seen a friend die?" Sakura said. Mirai moved her hand from his grasp and placed them on his torso, folding them. She took out a cloth and placed it on his face.

"Shut up!" Mirai yelled and Sakura's eyes narrowed. "Shiro-kun…I'm sorry…this is all my fault…I never told you that…" She felt more tears fall, they sprinkled his body, mixing with the blood. "…from the day we were put on the same team I wanted to be close to you…but I was too absorbed in my own dreams to notice those feelings. I thought if I blocked them all out I would become a better shinobi…but I was wrong!" She cried. "You taught me that having feelings meant you were a great shinobi…you taught me a lot and it took me along time to realize that. To realize that…I…" She paused again. "That I loved you…"

"It's two against one now…how do you plan on winning?" Naruto smirked. Mirai stood up.

"By killing you."

* * *

As Akina ran she finally noticed what looked to be a multicolored light up ahead. No doubt the source of the large chakra she was feeling. As she made a dash for the corridor a swirl of sand appeared in front of her, making her stop dead in her tracks. She pulled out her weapon and jumped to attack it. But a hand that formed grabbed her and made her stop. She recognized the red cloak immediately.

"Gaara…" She breathed as the sand stopped swirling and revealed him.

"I'm sorry Akina…but this is something that you can't do alone." He mumbled in his usual scratchy voice.

"Gaara! You don't understand!"

"What? That you're going to die in a few days…maybe hours? That it's your _destiny_ to sacrifice your life to stop a bunch of evil idiots from taking over the world with demons and creating peace with the very _things_ that sent the whole world into turmoil?" He asked, irritated and also amazed that he had spoken that much. It may have been the _longest_ sentence he had ever said. Putting that aside he searched her face for anything that would tell him something. "Last time I checked you could change your own destiny…" He said softer this time. Akina looked down.

"Gaara…for so long I've wanted to tell you that I was in love with you and the chance when I finally get to show it was in a spirit realm…and now I have changed my own destiny…" She said slowly. "I thought that I wanted a happily ever after…I wanted to save the whole world!"

"Akina…"

"But I realized while fighting to try and save you that just knowing you are alive would make me feel happy enough to look past everything…but seeing my friends fight what may be the greatest evil on this planet made me also realize that I don't want to loose anyone else!" She exclaimed, throwing her hands out. A stray tear slipped down her face, Gaara wiped it away quickly, his hand lingering on her cheek.

"But you don't have to handle this on your own…" He mumbled. "I'm here too you know…"

"Gaara… I don't want to loose you…"

"And what about you? Do you honestly think I could live without _you_?" He mumbled, looking down at her. "You were the first person I opened up to…that feeling of not being needed by anyone went away because of you…you saved me from the pit of loneliness…Naruto helped yes…but I changed because of _you…_Akina…" Akina felt like her breath had stopped as she watched him basically let his entire heart out to her. "If you die…that feeling will come back…that hell…" Closing her eyes in thought, she made a decision.

"Just don't kill yourself." She replied, hugging him around his neck.

"I think I've died enough in my life…" He murmured and she chuckled slightly.

"Yeah…well you know…third times the charm!" She said sarcastically. He chuckled. There was a loud explosion from the corridor up ahead, Akina and Gaara shot their looks in that direction. Akina's eyes widened. "Oh no…"

"What's going on?" He asked quickly.

"Whatever they had been using…broke free…" She said closing her eyes in frustration.

"**From the feel of the chakra it's the formation of the Juubi…but something's not right…someone tried to absorb it and lost control…" **The Sage's voice broke through her thoughts. Akina smirked.

"_About time you showed up…" _

"**Get in there and try something…we might only have one chance for this and you might have to use **_**that**_** jutsu."** Akina's eyes widened slightly.

"…_So it might come to that…I...understand…" _

"Akina did you find out what's going on?" Gaara asked hastily as they hid in the shadows.

"Yeah…it's not good…"

"As long as it's not the Juubi then I'm happy…wait…that look on your face…" He said to himself, reading the expression on her face. "Shit."

* * *

**Sorry it's been 2 weeks...i've had my bands show and school and blahh..sorry...ill try reallllyyyy hard to finish the stroy in the next few chapters! dont abandon me! Just a little side note by the way. Err the chapter before this had soemthing i put in by mistake and i didn't like the way it was so re ead the chapter Return...well at the end of it anway. Youll find out next chapter why i did that...mostly because people would be like O_o WHAT IS THIS MADNESS? or something along those lines. **


	16. Final Battle Part 2

**Hi there i know I'm about a month late...yeah i know...im bad...**

**Gaara: Lazy ass**

**Kitkat: SHUT UP! DO YOU WANT AKINA TO SURVIVE *pulls out almighty author pen* **

_**Silence**_

_**Kitkat: **_**That's what I thought...**

(^_^) (^_^)

Chapter 15

The Final Battle Part 2

Akina ran through the entrance into the large cavern. Inside, she saw non other than Pain and Madara Uchiha, trying to control the Juubi. Acting quickly, she whipped out her senbon.

"Here goes…" She said to herself and threw them at the large force field surrounding Madara, who was gaining control over the Juubi.

"Almighty Push!" Pain murmured immediately, sending the senbon flying back towards Akina. She blocked them with a kunai, deflecting them all. "You're too late Haruka. Kuchiyose!" He called forth the Six Paths of Pain. Akina ground her teeth and glared at him.

"Yeah well! We'll just have to see about that! Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Replications filled the cavern. "Let's see you handle this! "This is for Naruto! Straight out of Naruto's ninja handbook!" They said at once, pulling out shuriken. "Shuriken everywhere!" They tossed them at the Pains.

"Almighty Push!" The reflecting Pain said. The Shuriken were deflected easily, but she took that chance to have a few clones come from under ground. Flying up from the rubble, on kicked him in the back.

"Ha!" Another one got him from his front.

"Ru!" The final two came from below and kicked him high into the air.

"Ka!" Over a thousand clones met him in the air with the fists ready.

"Akina Two-K Barrage!" They yelled and bombarded him with several chakra filled punches. He was sent flying downward at inhuman speeds in the ground, head first. "And for the finale!" They yelled taking out kunai again, this time with explosive tags. "Sakura Blizzard!" they yelled again, throwing the kunai downward to finish him off.

The tags exploded the second they touched the ground. Akina stuck herself to the ceiling with her chakra and panted heavily. 'It took that much to take just one of them down…what about the other five….'

She thought to herself as her eyes shifted to Madara.

'I'd better make this fast…Madara's almost done.' She spotted the resurrecting Pain making his way towards the reflecting one, Yahiko. 'Oh no you don't!' She thought, quickly making hand signs.

"Fire style! Dragon Flame Bomb!" It burned the remaining body of Yahiko as the resurrector dodged it. She was caught from behind though, as the Pain that absorbed all ninjutsu grabbed her from behind.

"You can't beat us." He murmured in her ear. She grunted in response. Gaara, who was hidden in the shadows waiting for her signal, grasped the pendant she had given him moments before she charged in.

"_Gaara…here take this." Akina said quietly, handing him a gourd shaped pendant on a chain. "When you feel the need to rescue me before I give the signal just squeeze this to calm yourself…like you would my hand when we were younger and the kids would try to hurt us…" _

"_Akina I'm not entirely-" She cut him off with a short kiss, when she pulled back her hand lingered on his face. _

"_Just wait for the signal okay?" She said to him. "Don't worry about me so much…I always pull out in the end don't I?" She asked, giving her normal grin. He could see past that though and see the worry planted behind the mask she was wearing now. Before he could say another word she was running through the entrance. _

He gripped the gourd shaped pendant, watching with worried eyes at what would be her next move. Akina stood there, unable to move due to his position, her hands were subdued and he was in the position that he could easily break her neck. She began to summon her chakra to her hands, hoping to gather enough energy to break free. But whatever was gathered was absorbed. She began to feel very weak as she felt her chakra wane slightly. A deep growl emanated through her mind as she felt another chakra, one that was deadly, flow through her network.

"_**If he wants the damn chakra…give it to him!" **_She heard the sage command in her head and almost instantly she felt it flood through her network. The chakra swirled around her, much like it would Naruto when he first loosened the seal on his demon. Her eyes started to swirl back and forth, changing from her natural green to the purple. The absorbing Pain smirked.

"That will do you no good." He said to her. He suddenly felt a pang on intense pain in his arms, instinctively he let go of Akina, who jetted forward. "What the hell?" He felt like his network was being pulled apart, molecule by excruciating molecule.

"You've never had a taste of Jinchuuricki power? How odd…" Akina responded as she heard his screams of pain. "You see…it acts like a lethal poison, taking you form the inside out…a chakra poison if you will…" She explained calmly, getting up. "…and considering the amount I gave…that was just a little….." A senbon flew out from her sleeve, hitting him dead in the center of his head. "Prick." She smiled as he fell to the floor, his skin beginning to fall off his body.

Turning around she felt a satisfied smile plant itself on her face.

"Kuchiyose!" She heard from behind her, spinning around she saw a number of charging rhino's heading her way.

"Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!" She yelled. The clones appeared and took on the rhinos head on. Five however stayed behind with her, each summoning their own scythe. "I've had enough with your annoying summoning!" they yelled and threw the scythes that had a small invisible wire attached to them. The pulled on the strings with her hands and one in her mouth, forming a hand sign.

"Dragon Breath Blade Massacre!" She said threw clenched teeth. The scythes flew around the rhino's, engulfing them in flames, unable to escape. She watched with a satisfied smile as the beasts burned to death.

"Kuchiyose!" She heard again. This time an odd shaped bird flew at her. She pulled back her scythe and shot it towards the bird.

"Tri-Dragon Blade!" She yelled as her scythe burst into flames and hit the bird, going right through it and heading towards the last few Pain's behind it. "Gotcha!"

"Water Style! Water Wall!" A wall of water came up around the Pains and protected them. Akina turned slightly at the person who stopped her jutsu…and was now holding a katana against her neck.

"I was wondering when you'd show your face…Wakana."

(^_^) (^_^)

"I'll kill you!" Mirai growled out to Naruto and Sakura.

Sakura smirked.

"What can you do? You're weak and let your comrade die. Right. In. Front. Of. You." She replied.

Naruto felt the temperature in the air drop slightly, something big was coming form the girl and he didn't like it. Mirai's eyes narrowed dangerously but she shut them quickly.

Toshiro's face flashed in her mind, his alive face and his…dead one. A deadly anger boiled beneath her skin and a power surged through her veins, one she hadn't felt in many years.

"Shiro-chan…I swear to you…I'll avenge you." She said, forming a release sign.

"Release!" A dark aura surrounded Mirai, circling her like a predator would its prey. Sakura's eyes widened and she was tempted to step back, but she stood her ground. Naruto, on the other hand, moved back a few steps.

"What _are _you?" Sakura spit out.

"You're worst nightmare!" In a flash she was gone. Sakura spun around just in time and blocked the punch aimed for her head. As she retaliated, Mirai spun around, whipping out a kunai and slicing her shoulder. Sakura winced as she threw a punch, which Mirai deflected and finished her first attack with a blow to the stomach with her knee. Sakura collided with the wall, smahing her head. She began to bleed out on the floor.

Her eyes shifted to Naruto, who stood in awe as what had transpired in mere seconds. He felt the cold stare that came from her and the pain she was feeling. Looking at Sakura, who was unconscious now, he made his decision, pulling out a kunai from his pouch.

"You killed Sakura…I can't forgive you!" He breathed out, charging.

"You killed Toshiro! How the hell do you expect me to forgive you?" She charged at him, the chakra she saved for years began to build up as more slipped form the seal. Both of their kunais connected in a series of blows, with each one a picture of the person they were trying to protect flashed in their minds.

They continued to trade blows, eventually escalating to hand to hand combat between them. Both had landed some pretty impressive blows to the other.

Mirai skidded back some when they pushed each other away after a blow.

"You've got some spunk boy." She spit out blood that came her form her spilt lip. "I'm tired of playing games though…I'm ending this once and for all!" She yelled, gathering chakra in her hand.

Naruto looked at Sakura and the boy he had taken down, who was now lying there dead. Looking back at Mirai he saw the same anger and hatred he once saw in Sasuke, his late teammate. In a flash Mirai was in front of him, kicking him against the wall. He felt the wind fly out of him along with some blood as he collided with it. With his vision blurry he saw the girl charge at him again, for a spilt second resembling Sasuke. S mile came to his face as he waited for the blow to come.

It never did.

Naruto blinked and looked up at Mirai who just stood above him; he felt something hit his face, something wet. She was crying.

"I can't…I just can't…" She mumbled. "Toshiro wouldn't want this and neither do I…"

She dropped to her knees and held her face in her hands.

"But I can't forgive either of you!" Naruto felt a burning sensation in his eyes. Looking at the floor, he let tears fall, weeping for the boy and the girl in front of him. Weeping for Sasuke. Weeping for everyone.

"Girl…" He mumbled, wiping the tears away. Mirai looked up, her eyes red.

"Kill me."

(^_^) (^_^)

**Again I'm sorry for the late update but I've busy with alot of things...I know lame excuse but i have midterms this week and when i get the chance i'll update...i only have about 3 or 4 hapters left to this story. tell me what you want the sequel to be like! I'm also working on a bunch of other little side projects with fanficiton**

**OH AND BEFORE I FORGET (awesome song by slipknot btw)**

**I made my own naruto openings. Now im tempted to be like the link is in the crotch bar like shane dawson but there is no crotch bar on fanfic...so i'll put it in my profile i guess...sigh that ruins the fun of saying put it in the crotch bar...**

**Gaara: Shut. Up. Kelly. **

**Kitkat: *pulls out pen* **

**Gaara: What I meant to say was: Review. This. Chapter. **

**Kitkat: Good boy. *pats Gaara's head* Have A cookie. *Gaara takes cookie like an adorable little racoon.***

**Tobi: BUT I THOUGHT TOBI WAS A GOOD BOY!**

**Kitkat & Gaara: SHUT. UP. TOBI.**


	17. Final Battle Part 3

**Huh...i never thought i could update this fast...**

**Gaara:Oh shut up and let them read. **

**Kitkat: *****Takes out pen***

**Gaara: Won't work...i took out the ink. **

**Kitkat: Smart ass racoon...**

**(^_^) (^_^)**

Chapter 16

The Final Battle Part 3

"I was wondering when you'd show up…Wakana." Akina murmured, turning to look at the brown eyes that for split second held emotion. It was gone the second it came though.

"I've been here the whole time…waiting for the right time to strike." She responded. "You took out three of our best members."

Akina smirked.

"When the people I care about the most are in danger I tend to get serious." She retorted. She felt the kunai at her neck draw some blood. "But yet here you are…one of the people I care about the most…intent on killing me…I can't help but wonder if you realize what you're doing…"

Wakana's eyes narrowed. 'Who is this girl?' She thought.

"Is your heart that cold now? Have you forgotten that I got through to you mere days ago when we fought?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She responded. Akina looked at Wakana again and this time she saw that Wakana didn't really know who she was. There was no recognition in her eyes.

"Your memory is sealed isn't it…" Akina said more to herself.

"Correct Haruka." A deep voice said from the other side of the cavern. His red eyes shown brightly in the darkness. Akina's body flooded with fear as the seventy two hours of horror she endured flooded back to her memory.

The stoic man walked towards her and her feet shuffled, trying to move away but Wakana held her in place, now grabbing her arms and restraining her. The fear she felt was paralyzing. The memories of him making her believe Gaara was hurting her. It was horrifying.

"Stay away!" She yelled. He came closer. "Get away form me!" She fought against Wakana's iron grip. Itatchi stood looking down at Akina, a kunai shimmering as he pulled it out of his cloak.

"It's a pleasure to be rid of a nuisance like you." He said, thrusting the kunai towards her heart. His eyes narrowed however at the sand that had stopped him. That had blocked him.

"Sand Tsunami!" He heard from the side. Quickly he spun around and was met with a wall of sand flying towards him. It hit him dead on, taking the remaining Pain's with him. It crashed into the wall, burying them. Gaara ran out towards Akina, but stopped when Wakana's kunai pressed harder into Akina's neck. Akina grunted in frustration.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you…" She called to him. "One small prick and I'll hit her jugular."

Gaara's eyes narrowed. Instant death huh? Damn good plan. His…was better though.

"Gaara…this is between me and Wakana…" Akina grumbled out, smirking also as she turned into a pile of sand.

"So let me handle it!" They heard form above them as Akina stood on the ceiling, doing her signature 'hands crossed over chest' stance with a glare cemented in her features.

"I have to do this myself…" She said again. Akina and Wakana stared at each other. Both of them had had enough of these games.

"Gaara." She called, her eyes never leaving her enemy. "I hope you can handle yourself against Itatchi…"

He nodded a response and in a split second she was back to back with him.

"Be careful Akina."

Akina chuckled.

"I'm won't loose love…don't worry." She said, holding out her hand. The scythe materialized in her hand. "I never loose."

"**Child do not forget that Madara-"**

'I know…don't worry…' Akina responded to the Sage.

The Sage hesitated before sighing.

"**Very well…do not stray from something when you have learned the truth…go forth Akina…"** The voice faded into her subconscious as Akina felt a surge of power inside her.

"Well are you going to just stand there?" Wakana said, pulling out senbon from her sleeve. "Cowards hesitate you know…" She continued. Akina's face was hidden by her hair. "You're a coward! Die!" She charged.

In a flash Akina had grabbed her neck and pinned her down on the ground. Gaara pushed his hands down into the sand now as he saw the enemies emerging from it.

"Imperial Sand Funeral!" He yelled as the sand came up and crushed all but Itatchi, who narrowly escaped. Now it was just him and Itatchi.

"Two times Sabaku…two times you have come close to death by our hands…we will not fail the third time!"

"You can try as many times as you want but I refuse to die!"

Itatchi removed the cloak, revealing the katana strapped to his back. His eyes swirled to the Mangekyo Sharingan.

"Very well."

Gaara's sand shield swirled up around him twirling like a tornado around him. Akina couldn't help but worry about him as he faced off against the deadly Uchiha.

Wakana took this opportunity to wrap her legs around Akina's waist and flip her.

Akina, caught off guard, let go of Wakana's neck and used her hands to catch herself from hitting the ground hard. Using her legs she broke free of Wakana's grasp and back flipped till she was standing on the ceiling again.

"Trying to get me by surprise eh? A _real_ enemy faces someone head on." She said, moving into a tai jutsu pose.

Wakana's eyes narrowed as she made hand signs.

"Water style! Water whip!" She yelled and thrust her hand out and along with it came a whip of water that grabbed Akina's wrist. Wakana viciously pulled down and took Akina off the ceiling, sending her flying into the ground.

Akina got up form the crater she had formed and wiped the blood from her mouth.

"Nice move you have there." She said. "But mine are better."

The scythe appeared in her hand and she threw it, making the tiger sign the second it left her hand. The scythe exploded into flames and it headed straight for Wakana.

"Water Wall!" She yelled. The flames were extinguished the second they hit the wall. Akina took the opportunity to use a multi shadow clone attack. She surrounded the water wall and took out kunai from their pouches. Attaching a smoke bomb to them they threw it at the wall, causing a large amount of smoke to be released. Wakana began to have trouble breathing so she released the technique and dashed forward, ready to take on what was waiting for her outside. When she reached it she had no idea it would be this massive.

"Well look who finally came out!" Akina said. Thousands of clones surrounded Wakana, all holding a scythe. Wakana formed a hand sign her self and called out two thousand clones.

"Well what are you waiting for?" Wakana yelled, charging at the clones. Akina's clones jumped in the air, lifting up there legs. Wakana's side held up there arms ready for the blow.

"Take this!" They yelled coming down at a speed that only a jinchuuricki could pull off. "Thousand leg barrage!" The Akinas collided with the Wakanas.

"That all you got?" Wakana grunted out and she tackled a clone to the floor.

"Just getting started!" Akina yelled from behind as she kicked Wakana in the back. She flew into the wall as her clones were hit with a massive fire jutsu. Akina's other clone disappeared as well.

"Yeah well so am I!" Wakana yelled as she came out of the ground, grabbing Akina's ankle and pulling her into the ground.

"Nice trick you got there." Akina said. "But I'll still never loose." With a poof all that was left was a log. Wakana spun around as she was met with a punch to her midsection. Akina twisted her fist to make sure she had a second to hit her again. Wakana coughed up blood as she flew back into the wall.

"Wakana…when will you wake up?" She mumbled as she watched Wakana hit the wall again.

"I am awake! What the hell are you talking about?" She heard her yell from the wall in anger. "I don't know who you are! All I know is that you're the enemy!"

"Damn it look into your heart! You know who I am!" Akina yelled back. "I'm not the enemy Wakana!"

"You are the enemy! You came into this place and are trying to destroy my home!" She yelled. Akina's eyes narrowed.

"This is not your home…Konoha is your home…"

"Konoha? What the hell is that supposed to be?" She lunged forward, throwing a kunai at Akina, who dodged it and grabbed her wrist. She twisted it until she had it behind her back.

"Konoha is your home. I know you. I know your past, I know your hopes, your dream and you hates." Akina murmured in her ear. "I will make you remember so I don't have to kill you." She choked out as she felt a lump in her throat at the thought.

"I know my name and that is all! My home is here with my family! With Itatchi-sensei!"

"Itatchi is a cold blooded murderer that took out his entire clan with your leader Madara. He has placed you under a genjutsu that has sealed your memories." Akina forced out, glaring daggers at Wakana. Wakana kicked her hard, forcing her to let go.

"Liar!" She yelled, making hand signs. Akina made hand signs at the same time.

"Kuchiyose!" They both yelled. A puff of smoke surrounded them both. When it cleared there were two eagles that hovered before each other, each belonging to one of them. Akina jumped onto the back on hers, a black eagle with red markings on its wings.

"Kamina-san…please fight with me." She asked quietly. The birds eyes looked out towards his rival, Sojiro, Wakana's bird.

"_**It has been quiet a while Ruranain-san."**_ Kamina responded.

"Akina." Akina corrected. "Please call me Akina." The bird nodded.

"_**It would be a pleasure to fight along side you once again."**_ He replied and Akina stuck her arm out, summoning her scythe that lay in the wall. _**"I see you have a new weapon." **_

"Of course…I always do." She replied. "Wakana…shall we take this outside?" She called. The girl did not reply. "I'll take that as a yes." She said, tossing her scythe in the air. A light erupted from it as it exploded, making a hole in the ceilings cavern. The bird rolled it's eyes.

"_**Always the show off." **_

"Oh but of course." Akina replied as both birds took off through the hole. Wakana's bird following close behind Akina's in pursuit. Akina couldn't help but look back at the battle Gaara was taking part in with Itatchi…wondering if he will be alright.

**(^_^) (^_^)**

Gaara dodged another attack from Itatchi, his sand darting out at its target. Missing by centimeters too.

"I see even after be almost killed twice you haven't lost your touch."

"A Kage never looses their abilities to fight." Gaara retorted. Itatchi's eyes swirled as he launched an Amaterasu at Gaara, he eye beginning to bleed. Instantly Gaara turned to sand. Gaara came up behind him and launched a wave of sand at him.

Itatchi jumped out of the way and made hand signs quickly.

"Fire Style! Fire Ball Jutsu!" A Sand wall shot up as the fire ball quickly shot towards Gaara. It was too powerful though and the explosion sent Gaara flying back. Quickly Itatchi made a clone and had it appear behind Gaara, catching him in the back with a kunai. However Gaara turned to sand.

"A troublesome opponent indeed." Itatchi murmured as he spun around to meet Gaara head on with a punch. The two hit each other, throwing the other back into the ground.

Itatchi got up, wiping the blood off his face.

"I'm quite surprised that you were able to not make eye contact with me for so long." Gaara did not respond but merely held his stoic expression.

"Your mate however was caught much easier…but then again that was after Diedara had beat her before. Prisoners are much easier to deal with when they are tied up."

The sand around Gaara picked up again. Itatchi had hit his mark. Gaara felt his blood boil.

"I must say though she was very hard to tie down. It's a good thing we had Diedara knock her out."

Gaara's anger was reaching its boiling point. The sand whipped around him more dangerously then before.

"What a shame she escaped…oh well when my student I can allow the others to have their way with her-"

Gaara tackled him to the ground, viscously punching his face in. Un-noticing, he had just connected with Itatchi's eyes. He was caught. As he continued to punch at 'Itatchi' viciously a sword flew through his back and out the other side. Gaara looked down as blood came form his mouth.

"For the next seventy two hours you are mine." He heard from behind as the Itatchi below him turned into a heap of vines.

The vines sprang up, wrapping themselves around his wrists and ankles tightly. The vines spread out until he was spread apart, helpless to what was to come.

"Take your best shot."

"I plan to." Itatchi said as he morphed into Kankuro and drove the sword through his leg.

**(^_^) (^_^)**

**Kitkat: UH OH NOW GAARA"S CAUGHT! Haha cant steal my ink now! ...hey...wait a sec...where the hell is my pen? GAARA!**

**Saskue: Hn now you ahve to save him to get your pen back. **

**Kitkat: WHERE THE HELL DID YOU COME FROM? **

**Saskue: Your mom. **

**Kitkat: O_O **

**errr one more thing i updated twice so that i woudlnt have to worry so much about this story incase i forget cause i have my trig midterm soon and yeah...enough said right? **

**Sasuke: QUICK WHATS THE SIN OF 30 DEGREES!**

**Kitkat: ONE HALF! ...wow im a nerd...**


	18. Final Battle Part 4

**I'm sorry I know this is short but I promise that these Part 1-5 Battles will end like next chapter. I know its short too but I've got alot going on and I have to thank all my reviewers and I'd type the names but the bell is about to ring. And yes before you ask...I do these during class...ENJOY!**

Chapter 17

Final Battle Part 4

"Kill Me." Naruto said bluntly.

Mirai staggered back at the look of utter seriousness on his face and…the look of sorrow in his eyes. How could she kill someone that looked so…sad?

"You're kidding right? I can't kill you!"

"Please understand that there's no other way! Everything that was precious to me has been taken away…I have no reason to fight…"

"Fight for them!"

"I can also already tell that I've been dead for a while now."

"But that's not possible unless you were under a forbidden jutsu!"

"I am…even a dumbass like me can figure that out girl…"

Mirai shook her head.

"I am not 'girl'…I am Mirai…and I will not kill you…" She trailed off waiting for his name.

"..Naruto…Naruto Uzumaki." She nodded.

"I will not kill you Naruto…even though you have killed Toshiro I refuse to act that vengeful towards you…you are…not yourself."

"You don't know what I was like…I was a monster and I still am one now…"

"Bull shit." She snapped, towering over him. "Go right ahead and sit there sulking. You lost everything you say! Well you know what? There are two people below here fighting for the existence of shinobi and they've lost all there friends and family and now one of them has to fight their best friend…and you're just going to sit here whimpering over _this_?"

She got up, turning his back from him.

"A _true_ shinobi lives on even when he is _dead_." She said bluntly and walked over to Toshiro.

"Good bye…Shiro-kun…don't worry I help Akina-san and Gaara-san." She whispered. Naruto's head sot up and he mustered up what power he had left and stood up, looking at his hands.

'The restraints in my body are fading…the jutsu is wearing off…no doubt that means that I will…' He trailed off in thought. Mirai looked over her shoulder at him. Chuckling he looked back at her.

"You know Akina? And Gaara?"

"Yeah what of it?"

"They're my fellow jinchuuricki…well at least when I was one…but no matter…they're here?"

"They're fighting Madara and the rest of the Akatsuki as we speak." She said walking down the hall that she remembered Gaara taking. "I take it you're coming?"

"Just who the hell do you think I am? A pansy? Hell yes I'm coming-ttebayo!" he yelled, punching his fist into the air, giving his signature grin. Mirai nodded and walked down the hall, as he followed Naruto looked back over his shoulder at Sakura, walking back over he took off his jacket and shirt, placing his shirt over her to cover her as much as possible he turned away.

"Goodbye Sakura…tell Sasuke I miss him…and that he's a teme." He whispered to her, a tear escaping his eyes. If he was going to die as soon as this jutsu was fully removed ten he'd have a hell of a time bashing in some Akatsuki heads. Just the thought sent a smirk to his face.

"Hurry up pansy." He heard Mirai call as he ran down the corridor after her.

**(^_^) (^_^)**

Gaara continued to endure the pain from the Mangekyo genjutsu. He ignored the fact that everyone from his past was stabbing him repeatedly and calling him the very things he considered himself to be. He continued to concentrate on the sand that was outside of his mind, trying to find a way to break free. If Shikamaru could break through a genjutsu so could he!

"It's no use Gaara-kun…you loose." He heard another voice say. He looked up at Akina's eyes.

"A-Akina…"

"I always hated you." She pulled back the sword and thrust back in. "You were always a monster…I was never your friend."

"Shut up. That's a lie!" He yelled.

"You're nothing in this world. A worthless monster who should have died with Yashamaru. I never loved you."

Gaara shut his eyes, struggling against the vines that restrained him.

"Monster." He heard again, this time it was different. This time…he heard his mother's voice. The voice he would always remember form the time he was just a fetus. "You were never my son…I died for a monster and I never loved you…"

Pure anger boiled under his skin. Outside Itatchi grimaced as sand whipped around Gaara and an imaginable speed.

"I am not a monster!" Gaara yelled.

"I am not a freak!"

"I…I am…" He pulled against the vines again.

"_Gaara!"_ Off in the distance he heard someone calling out to him. Two people actually. He saw Naruto and Akina…waiting for him.

"I am Sabaku No Gaara, the Fifth Kazekage! I refuse to loose to a criminal like you!" He yelled as the sand outside of him whipped around him, cutting him in variously places, leaving painful gashes. The pain brought him out of the genjutsu and his eyes shot open the second he was free and he charged angrily at Itatchi, who swayed from the chakra he used.

"You chose the wrong person to mess with!" Gaara yelled, as his fist, covered by sand that was packed like cement, impacted with Itatchi's face. Sand lashed out as Itatchi flew back, it grabbed his arms and legs and pulled them apart.

"You will beg for your life and even then I will show no mercy!" Gaara roared, his temper overflowing with the rage and hatred he had hidden for all those years and he was releasing it on the right person.

**(^_^) (^_^)**

Akina flew through the ceiling of the Akatsuki hide out on top of Kamina, Wakana and Sojiro were right behind them. The two birds and their summoners hovered in the air.

"_**Sojiro!" **_Kamina roared._** "It is about time I got to fight you!" **_

"_**I feel the same Kamina! I will not loose to you!" **_Sojiro responded.

"Kamina-san! Wait." Akina said. "Do not kill Wakana…she is not the enemy…she's just under a powerful genjutsu…we need to finish this fight quickly though…the Juubi is almost complete." She whispered. The bird sqwauked.

"_**Akina are you insane! The Juubi is about to be summoned and your out here fighting with her instead of Madara?" **_The bird yelled. Akina did not flinch.

"I have enough time to save Wakana…I have to save her…"

"_**Get your head out of the pipe dreams you have and focus on the mater you have at hand here! The Juubi! You know? Ten tailed beast with both the Sharingan and the Rinnengan? Combination of all the tailed beasts! You've used up most of you're chakra no doubt summoning me!" **_

"_**Oh ho what's this…the mighty Kamina is afraid of the big bad Juubi? Or is it rather he can't muster up the courage to fight me?" **_Sojiro squawked. Akina saw Wakana smirk at the comment. Her blood boiled.

Kamina looked back at Sojiro and Wakana.

"_**Just who in the hell do you think I am?" **_Kamina squawked angrily before diving at Sojiro. _**"Ready or not Akina here we go!"**_

"I just need one good shot to knock her out!"Akina yelled.The bird squawked loudly in response.

"_**One? I'll give you ten good damn shots!" **_

"_**Now that's what I like to hear!" **_Sojiro squawked, diving in at Kamina and Akina._** "Go ahead and try!" **_

**(^_^) (^_^)**


	19. Final Battle Part 5: Towards Tommorow

**Yeah i know...longest chapter ever but i really wanted to leave liek a bing bang sort of thing for you. Review. AND I GOT MY PEN BACK! HA I WIN GAARA!**

**Gaara: Shut the hell up woman. **

**Kitkat: MUAHAHAHAHAHA**

Final Battle Part 5

Sojiro dove at Kamina and Akina. The birds swiftly dodged each other as their riders threw everything form letter bombs to giant shuriken.

"Sojiro!" Wakana called, the bird flew straight up and hovered about half a mile into the air. "Fire and Wind combination with barrel roll straight into them!" She said quickly. The bird nodded and concentrated it's chakra into its wings.

"Kamina-san what the hell are they doing!" Asked Akina as she rested for a moment on the bird's back.

The bird studied them for a short moment. The bird's eyes widened significantly.

"_**A combination attack…I have seen Sojiro do this before…it is almost inescapable." **_

"Inescapable?"

"_**Well you see…Sojiro is known the best for his speed in the mountains we hawks live in. He was always on par with me but recently I had injured my wing…it's healed now but…" **_

"What are you saying?"

"_**He had surpassed me in that time…I do not know if I can dodge this or not…"**_

"Well all we have to do is just dodge it right?" Asked Akina again. "I mean it's a one shot trick isn't it. No doubt it takes up a lot of chakra plus we will see them so if-"

Wakana unleashed a mist jutsu.

"Damnit." Akina cursed under her breath. She stood up and held out her hand, a light breeze filled with chakra surrounded her as her scythe materialized.

"_**I thought that thing blew up…"**_ Kamina commented.

"You forget who I am…I can summon as many of these as I please…" Akina explained. "As long as I have the Sage…I won't loose."

There was a loud screech from above.

"_**Their coming…"**_ Kamina commented.

"I know…I've got a plan too…when I say fall…drop form the sky as fast as you can got it?"

"_**Just what in the hell do you plan on-"**_ A rush of wind flew from their left.

"FALL!" Akina yelled as she jumped up into the air. Kamina followed her orders. Just as the bird began to fall a rush of heat came from behind Akina. Quickly she turned her body around as she fell from mid air, spinning her scythe.

"Wind style! Tornado blast!" Akina yelled as a funnel of wind erupted from her spinning blade, taking on the flames head on. She used the push from the jutsu to propel her onto a rock ledge. She let out a breath, knowing that if she was as second late she could have died. A chakra increase filled her senses…Madara was almost in control.

Wakana flew out from the left now on Sojiro and threw five letter bombs at her. Akina gracefully jumped up dodging them all, but as she landed Wakana flash stepped behind her and restrained her arms, making her drop the scythe. As they fell from the air spinning, Sojiro caught them and Wakana restrained Akina further with chakra binds.

"Damn." Akina cursed under her breath.

"I win." Said Wakana, as she cleared the air of the mist, "Sojiro…we're done here…I leave that meddlesome bird to you now." She said as she jumped off Sojiro.

"_**Akina!" **_She heard Kamina say from below as the bird flew up. He was intercepted by Sojiro. _**"Damn it Sojiro! Can't you see that she's not the girl you new before?"**_ the bird screeched at Sojiro.

"_**Just like humans us animals change." **_The bird said as he placed his talons on Kamina's neck. _**"Just like humans…we are also killers."**_

Akina struggled against her binds, unsuccessfully.

"Feeling helpless yet?" Wakana asked with her back turned watching Sojiro. "Good. Watch as the new age begins…my master will beat your precious Kage…he will help Lord Madara…and you…" She paused, "You will die."

Akina looked over at Kamina, who struggled against Sojiro. There was a loud screech of pain as Sojiro broke Kamina's wing. Akina's eyes widened in alarm.

"YOU BASTARD LET HIM GO!" Akina yelled. Wakana walked over and grabbed her head, forcing Akina to look at her.

"That's right…watch…watch you're comrades die." There was another screech as Sojiro broke the other one.

Akina looked back at Kamina, her eyes filled with fear, fear for her comrades death. She began to shake. Not only is she restrained but Gaara is fighting Itatchi, Madara is almost done and Kamina is incapacitated fully now.

"_What can I do?" _She yelled into her mind.

"_**Listen to me more often…" **_She heard the Sage break through her mind. _**"You're only chance is to release me completely-"**_

"_NO! NOT YET!" _

"_**What do you mean not yet?" **_The Sage roared in her mind. Akina did not flinch._** "Everyone out there is risking their lives! Waiting for you to finish this! Stop being stubborn and release me!" **_

"_I said not yet." _

The Sage gave up and sunk into the depths of her mind, mumbling something about ignorance. Akina's eyes shot open as she summoned a large amount of chakra to her forearms.

"Stupid! Chakra restraints suck up you're chakra!" She heard Wakana laugh.

Akina smirked and continued to use what was left of her chakra.

"You can't win!" Wakana said in a sing song voice. "Itatchi-sensei taught me everything I know! You can't beat me. You can't beat anyone."

Akina shut her eyes in concentration, it was no use, and her plan wasn't going to work.

"HEY! SHORT SHIT!" They heard someone yell from behind. Akina looked up as someone punched Wakana, sending her flying into the floor.

"Wow…the mighty Akina is tied up now eh?" The person commented as he bent down and undid the restraints. "And it looks like you used up more a hell of an amount of your chakra…"

"N-Naruto…"

"Of course…just who the hell do you think I am?" The blonde exclaimed, giving his signature grin.

(^_^)(^_^)

Itatchi held a placid face as Gaara made several sand senbon hang in the air surrounding all pressure points. Enough of them will hit him and kill him. He knew that.

"Why do you hesitate?" Asked Itatchi as he hung in the air, held tightly by restraints and his chakra being drained slowly by the sand. "Was it not your wish to kill me?"

The sand tightened, it felt like he would looses his hands any minute now. Even if he were to escape the nerve damage from the lack of oxygen from the sand's pressure would render him unable to weave any signs. It did not matter though; he only needed a little more time of stalling before the moon's eye plan would be complete.

"I…" Gaara paused, closing his eyes in thought. "You have kidnapped my siblings…I want to know where they are…now."

"What makes you think I would tell you?"

"I see that you do not value you're life."

Itatchi did not reply.

"Very will then I will find them myself. When everything is done I will search for them."

"With the Ruranain? You are aware that she will die. The only way to stop Madara is to release her Sage. But that will kill her instantly…not that she will be alive when he is done."

"She will win."

Itatchi smirked.

"So you believe. She is strong on the outside yes but she has many weaknesses. Why do you think we chose Wakana to be her opponent today? Why was it that we saved Wakana? That we wiped her memory?"

The sand around Itatchi tightened again.

"Because we know how much that girl values Wakana. She cannot kill her. But Wakana can kill Akina."

"Shut. Up." Gaara growled out. The senbon pulled back slightly.

"You also have the same weaknesses as her. The wanting to be loved and accepted…like her you will fall."

"ENOUGH!" Gaara roared, the senbon flew at Itatchi, piercing his skin and hitting all vital organs. The man smiled as his vision blurred.

"Akina will win! She will save the world! She will! _I_ believe in her and that is enough!" He yelled again as Itatchi fell imp in the sand's grasp.

Gaara collapsed in minutes, feeling the effects of his usage of so much chakra and the lack of it that had been there when he was brought back.

"Gaara-san!" he heard form behind him. He turned his head slightly to look at Mirai's approaching figure. He felt his knees give out and he sunk to the floor. Mirai was at his side in a second.

"You okay?" She asked as she checked him over. Gaara nodded.

"Where's Toshiro?" he asked tiredly, leaning against the wall. Mirai stiffened.

"He's…outside with the others…fighting off the enemy outside." She lied. Gaara knew she was lying, but decided to leave it there. This was not the time. He stood slowly.

"What are you crazy? Where the hell do you think you're going?" She said, springing up and grabbing the back of his sleeve.

"To help Akina." He said, glaring at her. "Now let me go."

"You know for a Kage you're pretty stupid!" She yelled. Gaara was taken aback. Who the hell des she think she's speaking to? "She's got back up." Gaara's eyes widened.

"Some loud mouth blonde named Naruto."

Gaara froze and turned back around to her.

"What did you just say?"

It wasn't possible. Naruto? Alive?

"Look the kid's form the leaf and he's here under this impure resurrection jutsu that's starting to weaken. He's helping her!"

Gaara continued to stare at her.

Was it really possible? Naruto was really alive? Thinking again he came to the conclusion that in this world…anything was possible.

(^_^)(^_^)

Akina stared in disbelief as Naruto stood before her, grinning the same grin he would always where.

"How?" Was all she managed to say.

"I was brought back by this weird jutsu they did…all I know is that it's wearing off and from what I can tell first all my movements will become part of my own will and then-"

Naruto spun around, whipping out a kunai as Wakana came at him with a katana.

"Naruto!" Akina yelled as he blocked her. Naruto's face went from serious to seriously confused.

"Wakana…you were the person restraining Akina?" He asked.

"Who…are you?" She asked, pushing her katana against his kunai. Naruto blinked.

"What do you mean? You've know me all your life! How can you ask that?"

"Naruto…" Akina interrupted him from yelling any further. "Itatchi put her under a jutsu that would block her memories…she does not know who I am either…she sees me as the enemy…"

Naruto kept his gaze on Wakana.

"No way…that can't be possible…"

Wakana jumped back suddenly, standing about twenty feet away. She pointed at Naruto.

"You're with her!" She yelled. "You're the enemy too then!"

Naruto lowered his kunai, his hair hiding his face, without his leaf headband there was nothing to really hold it up, at least the small spikes anyway.

"Akina…go finish what you have to do…_I'll _finish this battle with Wakana."

Akina stared at him dumbfounded.

"Naruto you've got to be kidding me! She is my opponent and I already explained to gaara that-"

"Go!" He yelled. As he said it another fluctuation occurred. She bit her lip in thought.

"Naruto I-" Akina paused. Could she really leave Wakana and Sojiro to him? What if he just stopped…living? The thought made her stomach churn. For a second time he would die. It hurt almost as much as Gaara dying, and thinking about him dying a second time made her freeze slightly. Something on top of her head brought her out of her thoughts.

She looked up to see Naruto grinning down at her, with his hand messing up her short hair.

"You've known me long enough to know that I never go back on my word. I'll save her, that's my promise of a life time."

"Naruto…" He turned back around, seeing Wakana get on the back of Sojiro.

"What the hell are you waiting for?" He yelled at Akina. "Get going!"

Akina looked back at her enemy and best friend. Both of her best friends.

"Akina!" Naruto yelled.

She gritted her teeth as she jumped through the hole she made previously, free falling all the way down towards Gaara, Madara, Itatchi and the Juubi. Anger boiled beneath her skin as she knew that this was it. This was the end. Her thoughts continued with that truth as she gathered her chakra in her hand. The cave floor finally came into sight and she pulled back her fist, ignoring the fact that this was going to hurt like hell if she messed this up.

(^_^)(^_^)

Gaara and Mirai turned their attention to Madara, who stared at them with slight humor in his eyes.

"You fools are fighting a battle you will never win. When this is complete there will be a new world under my rule! One without hatred!"

The sand around Gaara picked up, swirling around the energy ball that held Madara as he absorbed the Juubi.

"No matter how much you try you cannot break this!"

"Oh shut up!" Mirai yelled. "We will beat you!"

"Well put Mirai-san!" They heard from above the ball. "Of course we'll beat you! Just who the hell do you think we are!" Akina yelled as her fist collided with the energy ball, letting a loud boom erupt through the cavern.

Madara smiled beneath his mask.

"How brave of you Ruranain! To try to attempt to break this sphere with only your fist!"

Akina smirked as she pushed off the energy ball and back flipped, landing in front of Gaara.

"Oh it's not just my fist, it's my chakra _and_ the Sage's chakra!" A crack formed at the top, where her fist impacted. It did not spread.

"A crack? That's all the mighty Ruranain can accomplish-"

There was a blinding light from above Madara.

"What the-" The binds that connected him to the Juubi broke. "NO!" He yelled as the sphere began to collapse. A gaping hole opened at the bottom as Akina held out her hand in front of her. The blinding light flew out of the ball and towards her hand.

She caught it swiftly and in an instant it was her scythe. Gaara and Mirai stood looking at Akina, dumbfounded. Not even five minutes and she took out the sphere that was immune to Gaara's sand attacks and Mirai's electric attacks.

"Akina-san…"

"Where's Toshiro?" Akina asked quietly. Mirai looked away as anger flashed through her eyes. Akina caught it and her blood boiled even more. She turned back around to Madara who fell to the ground.

"Akina." Gaara warned. "Don't rush in."

"…I already have a plan."

Gaara narrowed his eyes at her, his sand shooting up in front of her.

"I am your Kage and you will listen to what I have to say." He said bluntly. Akina's eyes moved towards him, not yet wanting to tell him of Raikage's deal.

"…Gaara right now what has to be done can only be done by me…you know that so let me handle this." She explained. "Everyone is counting on me to beat him…I can't afford to follow anyone else's plan…it's my destiny."

"Destinies change."

"Perhaps…" She mumbled as the sand reluctantly dropped. Madara stood before them, chakra swirling around him like a tornado. He charged at them and the battle began.

For long minutes the three fought against Madara, struggling against his power.

Akina and Madara ran at each other, blocking each others punches holding each other in place.

"You continue to struggle even though you will loose!"

"Of course we do! The world we are trying to save! The tomorrow we seek for ourselves is not the tomorrow you have been after!" Akina yelled as a massive wave of sand hit him.

"It's the tomorrow that we choose for ourselves!" Mirai yelled throwing poison laced senbon at him. "Even if we loose their will be others who will continue to fight! You will never win!"

An explosion of energy erupted below the sand. Madara flew out of it, heading straight for Gaara and Akina.

"You can't possibly win! I AM the Juubi! The ultimate being!" He scoffed. Gaara's sand came up, shooting out at him with such velocity that almost nothing could sense it.

"Just watch us." Gaara said.

"Such arrogance! I could've have killed you the minute you were born! You will die at me hands!" Madara yelled, gathering a large amount of energy in his hands.

"_**Child! You must find cover!" **_The Sage's voice broke through to them. _**"This attack could possibly destroy you all! Especially those two!" **_

Akina's eyes widened as she spun around. But it was too late. The attack was fired.

"BURN IN THE MY POWER! DIE WITH FAILURE!" She heard Madara yell as the beam of energy headed straight towards them.

Akina shut her eyes, waiting for it to come. But it never did. She looked up, seeing Mirai behind a wall of electricity.

"Mirai…"

"Not yet!" Yelled Mirai. "We're not done! Akina! Leave this to me!" She yelled, taking the blunt of energy.

"Mirai!"

"Do not worry about me Akina! If what I am doing can help ensure the tomorrow you're fighting for then I will gladly give my life!"

"No! I don't want to loose you! You're my comrade!" Akina yelled.

"There's no other way!"

"_**She's right dear…" **_the Sage joined in. _**"As much as it pains me to see such a wonderful person die…she is right…" **_

"When I tell you to I want you to take in the electricity I will turn my body into! I have enough chakra to do this!"

Akina hid her face with her bangs, clenching her fist angrily. Her face shot up, determined.

"Alright!"

The energy surrounded Mirai, being too much for her shield, but her electricity jumped out and surrounded it, taking it all in. It surrounded her now and in seconds she was a bolt of electricity that flew in Akina's body, sending her back a few feet. The blast hit Gaara as well, knocking him unconscious.

"Impossible! They became one with the energy!" Madara yelled in disbelief. "No matter! I will not loose!" He yelled, charging at Akina.

He and Akina fought relentlessly trading blows. She matched him equally now.

"how can you match me? I am the ultimate being!"

"We evolve! Past the person we were minutes before! We are driven by the dreams of those before us and the hopes of those to come after us! We have the undying will of fire in all of us!"

"That is a lie! That is your limitation! The belief that you can become a hero! There is only pain in this world! And I will make one that is better than that!"

"No that's your limitation!" Akina said, summoning her scythe. "You live under the impression that you can change the world with genjutsu! That will never happen! There will always be somebody who can defeat you!" She yelled diving at Madara, throwing her scythe at him. He dodged it swiftly but she caught him off guard in mere milliseconds and threw him into a fall, hitting him with a bolt of electricity.

"We have been given the role and destiny to change the future of the shinobi world! That ahs been trusted to every ninja! For our predecessors alone I'll keep on fighting! We'll all keep on fighting." She continued, grabbing him by the neck. Her electrically charged body now mixed with Sage as she began to unravel herself from Akina.

"Mark my words Madara. These hands and these weapons will tear a hole open in the future. A hole built on the dreams of those who have fallen and the hopes of those who will follow! My hands are the hands that will save everyone!" She yelled, releasing all of her power in one explosion.

Madara was unable to escape the final blow as the poison chakra of the Sage and the electricity from Mirai attacked his cells, freeing what parts of the Juubi he had absorbed. He was unable to move his body, overmanned by pain and power he died.

Akina stumbled out of the some that surrounded the two, collapsing on the floor. Gaara awoke with a jolt as he sensed the missing energy in the air. He looked over at what looked like a heap of ash and what was Akina, who laid on the floor. He rushed over to her.

"It's all over." Akina mumbled as he picked her up.

"Yeah…you did it."

"Nahh…we all did it…" She mumbled before slipping into unconsciousness. She felt the presence of the Sage leave her and wondered if this was the end for her.

"I love you." She whispered.

(^_^)(^_^)

**Gaara: ITS OVER ITS OVER! wait..what's going to happen to Akina? I LOVE HER!**

**Kitkat: I haven't decided yet. **

**Gaara: You so have. **

**Kitkat: Have not. **

***Bickering ensues***

**Anyway review this. And thank you Shinfui...i hope i speleld that right for reveiweng so much. I literally sat at my inbox and was liek 3...2...1... *bink* OH YEAH ANOTHER REVIEW! You're awesome! **


	20. The Pendant of Last Words

Chapter 19

Naruto stood over Sojiro, who had severe damage to his wings and had a broken leg. The bird looked at Naruto, watching to see if he would finish the job.

"I will not kill you if that's what you're wondering…the last thing I want to really do is waste my chakra on a pathetic creature such as yourself…"

"_**Insolent brat!"**_ The bird yelled.

"Turning your back so easily on Kamina…siding with the Akatsuki and fighting along side someone when you know full well that they weren't them selves…you are nothing but scum…" Naruto spat, walking away form the bird.

"_**I'll rip you apart!"**_ The bird squawked, attempting to get up. It did not work for him. _**"Get back here Uzumaki! Let me tear you to shreds!"**_ Naruto continued to walk, heading towards the girl that lay before him in an unconscious state. The bird continued to squawk angrily at Naruto yelling to get away from Wakana. He ignored it.

"So that's it huh…it's all over…" He said as he looked at her peaceful expression. "I wonder…what will you remember when you wake up?" he said out loud, not realizing he was speaking his thoughts. He chuckled turning his head up to the sky as smiling as the sun came out from behind the clouds.

"Na…Naruto?" Wakana mumbled form below him as she sat up groggily. He turned his attention back to her, glancing at the bird that quieted down slightly as he watched his master sit up.

"Hey there." He said, bending down to put a hand on her shoulder and steady her.

"What happened? Why am I on the floor and…" She grabbed her head tightly, groaning in pain. "Where the hell did this migraine come from?" She yelled slightly. Naruto chuckled as he helped her up.

"Wakana…listen…before you find out what-"

"Sojiro!" Wakana yelled, running over to her bird. "What in the hell are you doing here?"

Sojiro hesitated, remembering the words Naruto had said to him earlier. He moved to answer but Naruto cut him off.

"He helped me defeat this really bad enemy. She was a true terror and put us all through hell…you were unconscious the whole time…" He cut in. The bird looked confusingly at Naruto. Naruto should have told Wakana the truth…so why didn't he? Sojiro looked over at Wakana, seeing if she would buy it. There was no doubt that she knew of his habit of changing sides quickly.

"…Really? I don't remember summoning him…"

"You summoned him but the enemy knocked you out just as he appeared and I rode him instead…" Naruto said, trying to make the story believable. "He was annoyed at first but I convinced him…"

Wakana looked at Naruto and then at Sojiro, who did not say anything.

"I see…well Sojiro-kun…thank you…" She said, smiling. She made a hand sign and he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"_**Thank you…Uzumaki-san…"**_ Naruto heard the bird whisper before he disappeared. He smiled to himself, Wakana looked at him confusingly.

"What are you happy about?"

He blinked. "Oh nothing…just that we won…" He said. "We have to move now…I have one last thing I need to do here…"

Wakana hesitated when he said 'last.'

"What do you mean _last_?"

Naruto stopped above the hole that led to where Akina and the others were. He did not look at her.

"Just that I need to finish something first…come on…we have someone we need to save…"

Wakana hesitated but walked next to him. Her bangs hid her face.

"Before we go can I know who it is or are you going to make up a lie like what you did with Sojiro?"

He stiffened. She had known the whole time. What could he say now? That he was going to die soon and Akina was dying right now probably and that he was going to try to save her? She would be too emotional to do anything to stop him but she wouldn't let him go either probably. He came up with the best answer he could right now as he sensed his chakra draining.

"...You'll see soon enough…" He commented before dropping down through the hole. Wakana glared at him but followed, a single though entering her head.

What the hell had really happened here?

(^_^) (^_^)

"I love you." Akina whispered, barely audible, but Gaara heard it. He looked down at her. She smiled at him, grabbing his hand. "I'll always love you Gaara."

"Akina….don't use that tone of voice…don't sound like you're going to leave me now you hear?" he said grabbing her shoulders and pressing his forehead against hers.

She frowned slightly as she saw the fear in his eyes.

"You know the consequences of the jutsu…and that without the sage I lost almost all my chakra…I don't think I'll make it Gaara…"

"Mirai sacrificed herself for you! So did Toshiro!"

Akina's eyes widened. Toshiro died as well? Gaara caught the confusion in her eyes.

"That's right…he died to help protect Mirai and you…to help fight for the future that you won for us all…and I want you to be there to see it for yourself…" He said, pulling back to look her in the eyes. "With me."

Tears formed in Akina's eyes.

"Gaara…I…I really want to be there to see it with you too, you have no idea…but I don't think I can make it…"

"Then I'll give you my chakra!" He said quickly, laying her on the ground and trying to pour his chakra into her. She shook her head slowly.

"You can't…that's a sacrificial technique Gaara…you can't use it nor will I let you…"

"Akina…" He whispered.

"Let me tell you something…" she began, coughing slightly.

"The reason why I fought so hard today…why I fought so hard everyday of my life was so that I could be next to you in my final moments…I wanted to make a life for _you_…part of me knew that I wasn't going to be able to share it with you but I knew that if I helped to make anew world where you could be happy then…maybe…I'd…be…" Akina trailed off as her eyes began to get heavier.

Gaara noticed immediately and he began to yell saying to not let go and to keep fighting. A small smile came to her lips as she looked at his face.

"…happy…" She finished. "Good bye…Gaara-kun…" She whispered, letting her body drift off into what seemed a forever sleep. A single tear fell form her eye, sliding down her face and hitting the ground under her. The world seemed to stop for Gaara. Everything in his body concentrated on her body that lay before him.

"A-Akina?" He said hesitantly, shaking her…there was no response. A wave of grief hit him as he felt his heart be ripped in two. He gripped at the ground, clenching the gravel in his hand as he felt tears form in his eyes.

"You stupid girl! If you loved me so much then why did you leave me?" He yelled. "I loved you too! Akina!" He yelled, hugging her body to his, as if she would wake up.

He sat there for minutes, wanting desperately to hear her say something. Anything.

Memories flooded his brain. Memories of her.

"_Hey Gaara! Congratulations on becoming a Jonin!" Akina yelled as she ran her chuunin level self over to him and gave him a big hug. A butterfly feeling stirred up in his stomach as she tackled him and gave him a big smile. "Good luck on your mission…it's A rank right?" _

"_Y-Yeah…" He mumbled. _

"_Well I want you to come back in one piece okay? And when you do come back we're going out for ramen!" She yelled. He nodded and walked away, heading towards the gates of Suna. _

"_Good bye." He mumbled. _

"_Nope" She yelled. "It's more like see you later!" She waved him off before returning home. The whole mission he couldn't wait to have the bowl of ramen with her. _

"Akina…"

"_Honestly you have sand armor so how in the hell can you injure our self?" Akina yelled as she patched Gaara up form his recent Anbu mission. _

_It was an S-rank infiltration mission and he was caught off guard by a group of criminals and one managed to wound his shoulder before he killed them. _

_He inwardly smiled at the warm feeling he got form her ginger touch as she wrapped the bandage around him. _

"_Jeez…ok next time your on my team 'kay?" She said, making it more of an order than a request. He rolled his eyes at her, dodging the punch she tried to hit him with playfully. Things with Akina around were a lot of fun…even for him…_

"Come back to me…" He whispered

(^_^) (^_^)

Wakana landed on the ground of the cavern behind Naruto.

"Naruto what the hell is going on?" She whispered. He did not answer, but instead continued to run forward. "Naruto!"

Naruto ran quickly until he found the two figures he was looking for.

"Gaara!" He yelled, catching the red head's attention. Gaara spun around quickly, his eyes setting on the blonde and then the woman next to him. Sand immediately shot up grabbing Wakana in a fit of rage.

"You!" Gaara roared at her. Naruto was taken aback at Gaara's sudden attack. "It's your fault!" The sand around Wakana tightened.

"G-Gaa…ra…" Wakana gasped for breath as she felt the chest being clenched with a force that was too great for her to escape.

"Gaara! Stop!" Naruto yelled. He did not hear him.

"You! She fought against you! Used up her chakra! You tried to kill her!" A tornado of sand flew around him as his rage unleashed itself.

Wakana looked at the green eyes that shown brightly in the dark cavern, a light glint of water from what could only be tears reflected as well.

"I…have no…" The sand tightened and she felt a rib crack slightly. "…idea what you're talking about-"

"Bullshit!" He yelled. "You know exactly what I'm talking about! Your part of the reason Akina is dead!"

Wakana stopped struggling when her name and the word 'dead' reached her ears.

"Akina…is…dead?" She whispered, her eyes searching the dark cavern until they came across a figure in Gaara's arms. She recognized the shape of the body, short hair, all but her glasses told her that the person in Gaara's arms, unmoving….was Akina.

Her best friend.

_"So when do you leave?" Akina asked quietly. Wakana stopped cleaning up for a second, but then continued._

_"Tomorrow." She said quietly. Akina's face saddened, but brightened up, as she walked over to the garbage to throw her food out. Her back was turned to Wakana now._

_"That means one thing now." She began. Wakana raised an eyebrow. "I don't know the next time I'll be able to see you so there's something I want to do." She began moving back onto the bed with Wakana, who looked so confused. Akina smirked slightly. _

_'She doesn't see it coming.' Akina slowly moved her face closer to Wakana's, keeping a straight face but making her eyes have the look of bedroom eyes. She stopped mere centimeters from Wakana's lips. _

_Wakana gulped, unable to think straight._

_"Gotcha." She said suddenly pulling back and grinning at the joke she just played. She laughed so hard at the 'what the hell just happened?' face Wakana was making. Akina actually fell of the bed with a loud __thump.__ She got back up quickly mindful of her arm._

_"You…You should've seen the look on your face! Man ever since I told you I was bi too it's been so easy to prank you!" She said griping her stomach. Wakana glared at her, getting up and hitting her on the head. Akina fell back on the floor. _

_"Ow!" She said sitting up and holding the large bump on her head._

_"That wasn't funny!" Wakana snapped. Akina moved back afraid she might have upset her. Akina gulped in fear as Wakana pulled her up by the hospital shirt she was wearing, a deadly glint in her eyes. "I will kill you." She said, the threat sending chills down her spine. She leaned into her ear now. Akina gulped, now trembling. "Gotcha." She said, letting her drop onto the floor. Akina sat there dumbfounded._

Her rival.

_"It's not stupid when you love them!" She yelled out. There was a silence on the field._

_"W-What?" there it was again, the eyes were normal again. Maybe this was how she could get her back to normal. It was now or never._

_"You…heard me…" Akina said looking at her, not daring to look away. "Are you that blind that you can't see that I have a great admiration for you? You're the person I've looked up to the most! I always wanted to be like you! You were my rival…I made you my rival because…well…I just wanted you to for once say you were proud of me! That's all I wanted form you!" Akina yelled. The look in her eyes was returning to normal._

Her sister.

_"Wakana…when will you wake up?" She mumbled as she watched Wakana hit the wall again._

_"I am awake! What the hell are you talking about?" She heard her yell from the wall in anger. "I don't know who you are! All I know is that you're the enemy!"_

_"Damn it look into your heart! You know who I am!" Akina yelled back. "I'm not the enemy Wakana!"_

…Akina…

_"__I told you…I'm not shrimp….I'm Akina." She said again and jumped back to her team. _

The room became silent as she felt the slight darkness in the cave suffocate her being. She felt the block on her memories release. The battles, the destruction of the leaf, Gaara's death, Sojiro…Kamina…another girl she didn't know…Naruto…she remembered everything. The labs she was kept in with the bodies of Naruto and Sakura came back vividly. She felt her stomach churn as she remembered how she tried to kill Akina.

"No…" She whispered. "It's not possible…" Tears spilled from her eyes as the guilt in her heart turned into a whirl pool of anger. Gaara was right. It was her fault.

"Gaara!" Naruto yelled furiously. "Damn it let her go! Can't you see her memories back already!"

Naruto's words brought him out of his angry trance. He looked at the blonde.

"You're…alive…" He said in disbelief. He remembered Mirai say something about it but he thought she mistook him for someone else. But…she didn't. He was really here.

"For now…and I'm going to bring her back…" He said loud enough for Wakana to hear too. Her head shot up in disbelief.

"But Naruto! You'll die too!"

A small smile came to his face as he walked over to Gaara, who still held Akina.

"Naruto don't!" Wakana yelled. Gaara could not speak as he watched his long time friend move to take Akina. "Please! If you die then…then…" She sobbed already knowing that his mind was made up.

He walked over to the middle of the cavern with her limp body and gently laid it on the ground. Out of the punch on his back he pulled out a small piece of what looked lick chalk.

"Akina taught this to me…in case I ever needed it…only jinchuuricki can perform this…" He whispered softly as he drew a circle around her. He chuckled lightly as he remembered her yelling at him to promise not to use it recklessly. "She always yelled at me…telling me that if she found out I used it on a random person without thinking she would personally come to the afterlife and kick my ass…"

"Uzumaki…" Gaara said. He was the only one to call him by his last name. "Why are you going to do this?"

"Because…she was my friend…I saw the light in her eyes unlike any one I've ever seen…the determination to save the world." He chuckled. "And it looks like she did it…but I can't bear the thought of not letting her see it for herself…"

He kneeled on the two lines that connected Akina to the circle, placing one hand above her head and the other above her heart.

"Wakana…promise me something will you?"

Wakana looked up at his face immediately, still crying a little. The smile on his face made her eyes water again.

"Promise me that you'll move on after this and that you'll protect Akina…and Gaara…" Naruto said. "I don't want you to ever give up…understand?"

She nodded grimly.

"Of course Naruto…I…I promise…" She said between sobs. After this every one from the leaf really would be gone except for her.

"Well I got one last battle in ne? It was fun fighting this one actually…I'm going to miss it…Gaara….listen to me…"

Gaara remained quiet as he watched Naruto look at him now.

"Akina was always strong and she always protected everybody but…she needs to be protected too…" He said. "You understand her better than anyone else could…I can see how much you really love her…so I want you to make sure she's safe okay?"

Gaara's eyes saddened a great amount and he nodded grimly. Naruto closed his eyes again.

"Demon style…Pure Resurrection." He said as a bright light engulfed them both.

Akina stood in what looked like a white field. Her short locks blew in the soft wind that caressed her and she smiled as she felt the peacefulness of the area fill her. But something was missing and she couldn't quite place what it was. She closed her eyes searching for what was missing, but nothing came up. Deciding that it would fill sooner or later she walked around the area, particularly walking towards a small tree that seemed to pop out of nowhere. As she got closer to it she felt a new feeling of emotion overwhelm her. It only increased her speed until she was running towards it. In seconds she was in front of it, looking not a the white branch but the golden brown gourd shaped pendant that hung from it.

She moved her hand the second she touched it she felt something whisk past her.

"_Bye Akina…don't forget me…" _

She looked around but saw no one. She then grabbed the pendant and gingerly lifted it off the tree, as the string lifted off the branch and bright light engulfed her, blinding her, but her hold on the necklace did not loosen in the slightest. She screamed as she felt herself being pulled somewhere. But the feeling of this place was familiar. Like it was home.

Her eyes opened soon after and she found herself in the arms of someone, a man. Her green eyes looked up and met the worried eyes of her beloved Gaara.

"Gaara." She breathed.

"Hey…you gave us quite a scare there you know that?" He said, his grip tightening on her slightly.

"Yeah…" Akina heard from behind her. Her eyes moved to Wakana as she stood there with red eyes. "Glad to have you back shrimp." She smiled slightly at the nickname she earned from Wakana.

"Gaara…Wakana…what happened…where's Naruto and-" She spotted him lying in Wakana's arms as she began crying again.

"He…he gave his life for you to survive…"

The words hit Akina sadly. Naruto…had given his life for her. The white space came back to her memory and the voice she heard. It was Naruto's. She grunted and got up with some difficulty.

"Akina!" Gaara said quickly. "Your body hasn't recovered from the rigor mortis yet…please…sit."

She didn't listen. She slugged her way over to Naruto's body.

"Don't worry…" She whispered bending down to sit next to him. "It's impossible to forget a knucklehead like you…" She whispered, a tear flowing form her eye as she saw the peaceful smile on her face. "At least you can finally have the life you always wanted…Naruto-kun…I'm going to miss you so much though…" Her voice cracked as she felt Wakana pull her into a hug.

"It's finally over…" Gaara whispered.

But Akina knew better…this was just the beginning...


	21. Never Give InNever Give Up

**So this is it...the real final chapter...**

Chapter 21

The five of them stood before the large fire that burned Toshiro, Sakura and Naruto's bodies. The flames danced as the tore away the flesh, making into an ash that floated away in what the three would hope to be a heaven. Akina's eyes glazed in the fire as she went over everything that had just happened.

Gaara's death, Baal's defeat, Gaara's resurrection, Toshiro's death, Sakura's death, Mirai's sacrifice, her and Wakana's battle, Madara's death, the end of the Juubi, Naruto's sacrifice, rescuing Gaara's siblings…a lot had happened in a couple of days…maybe it was a few hours. She really didn't know. All she knew was that she had Gaara and Wakana again. She smiled, closing her eyes from the fire as her hand intertwined with his. For so long she had wanted to do that and now she finally had the chance.

But the Raikage…he would be a problem. She didn't know what to do about that…it was a binding contract…

She couldn't escape.

If she left she would most likely break his heart.

If she stayed a war would break out.

What would Naruto do, she though over and over again. But she wasn't Naruto and she never could be.

Wakana saw the expression on her face later that night as Akina walked off to the nearby lake to bathe. Gaara remained behind, cooking the fish they caught earlier. Deciding now would be the best time, Wakana followed her. Gaara watched the two girls leave, briefly suspecting something was up. He pushed the thought aside and looked back to the fish, while his siblings slept under a tree.

Akina sat at the edge of the water, looking into the deep blue of it. It made her want to just jump in and never come back up till the damn Raikage was dead. Sighing, she tossed a rock into the water, watching the ripple's continuous flow until it changed the form of her reflection. She looked almost like her mother, from what she could tell in the picture she kept in the box in her apartment back in Suna. She chuckled softly, briefly wondering what her mom was like…she never really remembered her too much. They died when she was only two.

"You know…it's really not all that bad…" Wakana chimed from behind her, as if reading her mind. Akina did not jolt from the unexpected intrusion, she already had a feeling that Wakana would find her.

"Things are going to be different…" Akina said quietly. "I wish I was a bird…just be able to fly up into the blue, blue sky and never come back down…" She murmured, looking up at the sky.

"Yeah…"

There was a silence between them, a long silence too. Neither of them knew where to start, Wakana didn't want to approach what was on her mind right away but she had a feeling she had to. Akina was the type where if you don't ask right off the bat you won't get a straight answer.

"That girl…Mirai…and her friend Toshiro were from the Cloud village…" She said as more of a statement of fact to herself.

Akina stopped flinging rocks into the lake, her back staying turned away from Wakana. Akina prayed that she didn't know…or ask about it so much.

"What did you do to get their help?" Of course. Of. Freaking. Course.

"I…went to the village and requested aide from Raikage…"

"Keep going…" Wakana said sitting on the rock. "Wait let me guess…you were so unsure of whether you could handle this that you made a deal with him didn't you?"

Akina stiffened. Was she that easy to read? Wakana grunted seeing she hit the mark.

"What the hell kind of deal did you make that's got you in such a fidgety state?" She whispered harshly, stepping in front of her to meet her gaze.

"…I…" Akina trailed off…not really wanting to tell her. She turned her gaze away, turning around and walking towards a tree, grabbing it's sides. "I…." She struggled to tell her, afraid of what will happen.

"Speak child...I got the _you _part…..now the rest would be helpful! Or do you want me to go get Gaara and-"

"I signed a contract saying that after I bring Gaara back that I'm to become a Kumo ninja okay? Happy?" Akina yelled storming off in the other direction. Wakana stood speechless. Akina made her way off towards the deeper part of the woods where she began tearing apart the trees and brush there. She angrily ripped it apart, she had told Wakana…not knowing that Gaara had heard the whole thing, behind a tree. Wakana stood on the lakes edge, staring off into it. Gaara made his way out of the forest, not saying a word.

"Gaara...what are you going to do?"

The Kazekage looked out onto the water, watching a hawk fly down and catch its prey.

"I…don't know…" He murmured.

"Well here's a start…go talk to her…" She commented as she walked back to camp. "You're the only one she wants right now…"

Gaara looked back onto the water's edge…wondering what the hell he was going to do now…he had just almost lost her again, and he wasn't sure if he could go through that again.

For him it's hard to believe he had lived his whole life without figuring out that she meant so much to him. Now he can't imagine living a life without her. And that was scary to him.

He loved her…with all his heart.

Thunder crackled loudly overhead and soon the rain followed with it. Gaara walked back to the area to help set up a shelter of some sort, hoping that she would be okay. He worked with his siblings as he made a make shift shelter built form branches, sand and a few of Kankuro's puppets.

The rain continued to pour, not letting up. Akina still did not come back. Wakana gave Gaara a look, and he nodded, going out to find her while his still tired siblings slept.

Gaara made his way into the forest yelling her name. It was dark out and the thunder cracked loudly. He continued to call her name, it was many minutes before he found her passed out by a lot of broken trees.

"Akina!" He yelled and ran over to her side, looking her over. She groaned softly and opened her eyes to meet the worried gaze he held. His stoic expression no longer there. She smiled slightly before passing out as he carried her back to the camp site.

The thunder stopped.

Akina knew, even in her sleep, that _he_ was coming to get her.

It was a few hours before Akina woke up, her arms were sore form the beating she gave the forest as she let out her rage. She expected to find herself cold, but instead she found herself oddly warm. Sitting up she found that Gaara was asleep now, hugging her by the waist. She turned fully around so she was facing him, moving a hair that had fallen in his face.

This might be the last night she had to see him again.

The thought brought tears to her eyes.

She loved him so much…but she knew she couldn't stay. She had to go.

"I understand if you have to go…" She heard someone whisper behind her. She looked back to Wakana. "Sure I'll be lonely in Suna since I'm going to be living there from now on but hey I'll manage…so will everyone else…"

"But Gaara's…different…he's not everyone else and you know that." Akina whispered back.

"But he loves you…knowing him just thinking of you will make him happy." She said again before turning over and going back to sleep. "Akina…make the decision with your heart…not your head." She whispered as she went into a light sleep. Akina turned her attention back to Gaara, thinking of what Wakana had just said.

Think with her heart.

That was the problem though…could she really make that decision?

Akina silently moved out of Gaara's grasp and walked out into the night, heading down towards the lake. She sat at the edge, watching the fog roll in mystically. The ground was still wet and she shivered slightly from the coldness of the night.

A warm feeling engulfed her suddenly. She looked up to find Gaara had wrapped a cloak around her.

"Why are you up?"

"Because I felt cold suddenly…" He sated matter of factly.

"Akina…I…"

"Gaara…I…"

The both started at the same time. Gaara sighed and moved closer to her on the rock, hugging her tightly. Her body stiffened as he brought her closer, tucking a strand of hair behind her head. She closed her eyes at the hesitant touch of his lips on hers. Something deep in her started, warming her, spreading through her body. The more her lips moved with his the more the heat increased. Her hands made their way into his hair, gripping it as she deepened it, they fell onto the ground soon as the got caught in the moment. The kiss being broken, Gaara took the chance to speak.

"I know you have to leave. I know what deal you made with that bastard of a Kage and…I…" Akina looked at him speechless, her heart racing at what he was going to say. "I don't know what to say really…I want to be furious with you but I can't…not after everything that's happened. It's all my fault that you have to go away and-"

Akina pulled his head down for another harsh kiss, silencing him. When she broke apart she took the moment to speak.

"I wasn't thinking things through when I did that Gaara! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!" She cried, burying her head in his shirt. "I thought if I saved you then everything would be okay! Bu it won't be! I have to go or else there will be a war-"

"I love you." He said bluntly. Akina stopped, bringing her teary face up to meet his. "It took me forever to realize it but I love you so much."

"Gaara…" She whispered, sitting up. He sat up with her.

"I can survive…with just thoughts of you I can survive…"

It was that night she made her decision. Those words made her whole world spin. She knew it too. They would both survive and one day they would be together.

The next day her fears had come true, her team accompanied by the Anbu of the cloud came to get her. In front of everyone she withdrew her allegiance with the sand, handing back her head band. Gaara hesitantly nodded, and put it inside his pouch.

Kankuro and Temari were in fits of rage as she did this, not understanding. Akina knew Wakana would explain. Before everyone that day as well Wakana swore her allegiance to the sand, Gaara accepting almost instantly.

It was the beginning of new futures for everyone.

As Akina gathered her things she hugged everyone goodbye. Standing before Wakana and Gaara lastly.

"Never give up…" Wakana said first.

"Never give in…" Akina finished, pulling her into a tight hug. "I will see you again one day one-san."

"I know…be careful…shrimp…I'm proud of you…" Akina bit back a sob as she hear the words she was waiting for the longest time form her best friend. She pulled away and turned to Gaara, who had a placid expression on his face.

"Gaa…I mean Kazekage-sama…" She corrected herself. Gaara shook his head.

"Akina you can always call me Gaara…" He said softly. Akina smiled, nodding her head as she pulled him in for a tight hug. Gaara hugged her around the waist.

"Good-bye Gaara…"

"No…see you later…Akina…" He murmured, kissing her softly before she pulled away. "I'll repay that…" He whispered so only she could hear. "I'll repay that ten times over…"

Akina nodded and turned her back, walking away with the Kumo ninja. She did not look back, knowing if she did she could not go.

Today…was the start of a new adventure.

**And so that is the end of the Ruranain Chronicles: The Sage and The Juubi. **

**OR SO YOU THINK!**

**What happens when loved ones are stolen, a new evil comes about and bonds are tested? Will the will of fire prevail? **

**Coming SOON!**

**_The Ruranain Chronicles: The Gods of War and The Will fo Fire! _**


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